Interview: Hannah Harquart, ‘Newsrevue’

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 Hannah Harquart about Newsrevue.

NewsRevue, Edinburgh Fringe. Photo by Courtesy Pete Smith 

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

Hello! My name is Hannah I am an actor/writer in Newsrevue at the Edfringe 2024. I started my training at Rose Bruford on my foundation course and worked 19383 different jobs, including a children’s party entertainer – Lots of my little pony parties and screaming (from both the children and myself). After that, I finished up my studies at Drama Studio London in Ealing and have had the pleasure of working consistently with new artists on new writing ever since. It’s normally sad, funny things (You are what you write). I’m neurodiverse, so I’ve been developing my skills to accommodate for my own needs and the needs of others in the room, to make everyone feel safe and comfy to make the best work possible. I’ve had the pleasure of working with companies such as Dangerosity, Close To Home Productions, Stoke The Embers as a member of their writer’s room and of course-  the Canal Café team as part of the Newsrevue family.

What is your show about?

Our show is about whatever happens to be in the news that week, from The Royals to Rishi’s snap election to Gemma Collins claustrophobia (sometimes milkshakes).

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

Uniquely the inspiration from Newsrevue started at The Gate, London, back in 1979 and in the summer of that year premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it has returned annually ever since. It was the creation of Cambridge University chums Mike Hodd and Jack Thorington. Since then, it has continued its legacy of reviewing the news on a weekly basis at the Canal café theatre with a changing team of 4 actors, one musical director and one Director with Emma Taylor at the helm to ensure we don’t all lose our marbles. 

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

Bringing back Newsrevue now feels more important than ever, with politics and current affairs forcing us to become more polarised, I think it’s really important that we can all get together and laugh at and with each other. 

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

I recommend that everyone sees a huge variety of shows across your time at the fringe. The great thing about Edinburgh is you can see work that makes you laugh, cry, gasp and hold your breath all in one day so it’s important to see a big range of work to get the full experience. I would also recommend seeing as much free fringe as possible! There’s a cost-of-living crisis! And these artists at the free fringe are the epitome of what trialling new work is about. Finally, I would say – be kind if you can, people work on this material for weeks, months or years and that can be quite a vulnerable place to be.

Why should people book a ticket to see your show?

Watching Newsrevue has now meant audiences get to share in a little slice of history that is 45 years old, it’s snappy, funny and clever and promises a well spent hour at the fringe.

When and where can people see Newsrevue?

19:30, Venue 300, Underbelly The Cow.