Edinburgh Fringe Chats (#88): Ozzy Algar, SPEED QUEEN
As anticipation builds for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025, we’re catching up with a range of exciting creatives preparing to bring their work to the world’s largest arts festival this August. In this series, we delve into the stories behind the shows, the inspiration driving the artists, and what audiences can expect. Today, we’re joined by Ozzy Algar to chat about his show, Speed Queen.
1. Can you begin by telling us about your show and what inspired it?
We are in the Speed Queen, the last Launderette on the Isle of Wight!
My show is inspired by personal histories, folk histories, local myths and looked-over stories from the Isle of Wight, an Island off the South Coast of England and a formerly buzzing seaside resort: the faded glamour of the Winter Gardens music hall in Ventnor, the horrors from the sea and the land sliding slowly towards it.
I love archetypal Crones and Hags from Folklore, and the way sci-fi writer Ursula Le Guin writes about them in her essay Space Crone. My lead character Pet from the Launderette draws a lot from this. She is the owner and proprietor of the Speed Queen, and takes great, unnerving delight in airing the Island’s dirty laundry for you, her customers. Her name comes from this letter, left by the woman that did the service washes at my local launderette on the day she disappeared:
“Dear customers,
It is with great sadness that I am informing you that I will not be returning to my duties at the launderette.
This does mean that there will no longer be any service washes or dry cleaning services in this launderette.
Thank you for your custom over the years, I hope to see you around.
Stay safe,
Pet.”
Speed Queen is an hour of dark character comedy, cabaret and clowning drawing on British folk horror, for fans of the League of Gentlemen and iconic documentary Grey Gardens.
2. What made you want to bring this work to the Fringe this year?
Because I am currently surrounded by the most supportive, loving and talented group of collaborators I have ever had, and I want to do them justice. So, it's now or never! Thank you Tanika, Charlie, Levi, Sonya, Tom and everyone who has contributed to this show.
3. How would you describe your show in three words?
Folk Seaside Glamour
4. What do you hope audiences take away from watching your performance?
An itch to visit the Isle of Wight, a feeling that they have just spent time in another world.
5. What’s your top tip for surviving the Fringe?
Go and sit in a quiet Launderette for one (1) hour when it all feels too much.
6. Where and when can people see your show?
Ozzy Algar: Speed Queen is on from 30 July - 24 August (not 12) at Pleasance Courtyard (Cellar), 22:30. I’m very excited to share this show and Pet with you all.
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/ozzy-algar-speed-queen
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