Interview: Maggie Winters, Marguerite

Ahead of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024, we’re chatting with a range of creatives who will be heading to the city over August to find out more about their shows. Today we’re chatting with Maggie Winters about her show, Marguerite.

Can you tell us a bit about you and your career so far?

I started my career by forcing my family to watch me perform one woman shows at the age of 5 — okay actually I started doing improv in Chicago after college and did that for about 5 years which I really credit for the base of my career. Then in 2019 I took FemCom with Alex Kumin at the Lincoln Lodge in Chicago which is a class to get women to do more standup. This really gave me the confidence but then a little pandemic hit and I still needed attention so I started doing character videos and eventually standup again. I began to get amazing opportunities to open up for people like Colin Jost, Megan Stalter, and Hannah Einbinder. Then I booked my first TV role in 2022 on a HBO show called The Righteous Gemstones created by Danny McBride. It was an absolute dream come true. Last year I created my solo show Marguerite and have been performing that around the United States and now I get the incredible opportunity to take it to Fringe.

What is your show about?

Me! But really it’s just different stories from various parts of my 34 years of life thus far. I talk depression, getting into a girl fight, and Subway meatballs just to give you a taste.

What was the inspiration for your show and what’s the development process been to get to this stage?

My inspiration was definitely seeing other solo shows and wanting the opportunity to perform something on my own. The show concept came to me while falling asleep and I woke up and got to work. The process began with finding a director I trusted to help me push my ideas along and I put that trust in my two older brothers Bart and Liam Winters. I set a date for the show so I had a deadline and then we met weekly until we thought it was in a good spot.

What made you want to take this show to the Fringe?

The Fringe is such an iconic festival. So many incredible performers like Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Robin Williams, Brett Goldstein, and Catherine Cohen have done it and to be a part of that list feels so special. Plus I wanted to test my limits by doing 25 shows in a row :) 

Apart from seeing your show of course, what’s your top tip for anybody heading for Edinburgh this summer?

See and support as many artists as you can! Also for me, I want to visit as many local restaurants and shops as I can and soak up Scottish culture. 

Why should people book to come and see you?

If you’ve ever wanted a different taste of US comedy besides the classic LA/NYC types. I’m a Midwest girl through and through. Plus as much as I could perform to an empty audience, it just wouldn’t be as fun. 

Where can people see your show?

Maggie Winters: Marguerite is at The Pleasance Dome from July 31st