ED FRINGE 2023 INTERVIEW | FaceOddity, This Isn’t Working

Interviews

3 Aug

In preparation for the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Emmie chats with FaceOddity about their piece ‘This Isn’t Working’.

1. Let's begin by pitching your show at the Ed Fringe, tell us about it?
’This Isn’t Working’ is a narrative sketch show about the weird world of jobseeking. It follows our main character, Sandy Surname, through a variety of hilarious trial shifts, including rescuing a heartbroken captain from a shipwreck, a day as Chancellor of the Exchequer, and producing an episode of Dragon’s Den. To find out whether Sandy finds the job that will give him meaning and purpose, you’ll have to come to see the show!

2. Where did you draw your influences from for this piece?
There are six of us writing on the show, which means we all bring a variety of influences together and then create this wonderful Frankenstein’s monster of a sketch show. Actually, all of our tastes are quite similar, but there’s a mix in there of classic sketch comedy á la Fry and Laurie or Mitchell and Webb, paired with some more slapstick, physical humour and some more left-field absurdist stuff as well.

3. What are the challenges of bringing a piece to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
Where do we begin? For us it’s mainly trying to figure out how to get a massive flipchart onto the train up to Scotland. In all seriousness though, all of us are going up with the expectation of losing money from the whole affair, especially with rent prices as they are. But to be honest, we are doing this because the Fringe is a magical place and because we love doing it, so the challenges always seem smaller once we’re up there and doing our show each night!

4. What can audiences expect from your show?
They can expect a fast-paced, gag-filled, good-humoured sketch extravaganza with something in it for everyone. Oh, and dancing. There will be some dancing.

5. What are you most looking forward to during your time in Edinburgh for the festival?
Firstly, seeing a show that turns out to be a hidden gem. It’s always great when you go in with no expectations and then you’re completely blown away. You only really get that experience at the Fringe.

And secondly, the Wanderers Kneaded pizza van on the Meadows.

6. Where can people come and see 'This Isn't Working?'
You can come and see ’This Isn’t Working’ at Greenside Infirmary Street (Ivy Studio) at 11.05pm, from the 4th until the 19th of August. We’d love to see you there.