Edinburgh Fringe Chats (#75): Michael DeBartolo, TELL ME WHERE HOME IS (I’M STARTING TO FORGET)
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 Michael DeBartolo to chat more about their show, Tell Me Where Home Is (I’m Starting to Forget).
01. Can you begin by telling us about your show and what inspired it?
Tell Me Where Home Is (I’m Starting to Forget) is a fiercely honest, darkly funny solo show about the longing to be somewhere over the rainbow — and the yellow brick road back to self-acceptance. It’s framed by the yearning of Dorothy Gale, but instead of Oz, I take audiences through the suburbs of Connecticut, navigating locker room escapades, erotic VHS tapes, and the masquerade of heteronormativity — all in search of a place I can call home.
The inspiration came in 2018, when I started writing the stories I desperately needed to hear as a young gay person. I began sharing them online, and the response was so immediate and heartfelt that I knew they had a larger purpose. From there, the show evolved, becoming a way to reclaim tenderness, humor, and presence. And hopefully offer a little catharsis to anyone who's ever felt like a glittery weirdo trying to find the way back to themselves.
02. What made you want to bring this work to the Fringe this year?
Because I think it has something to offer — not just to queer people, but to anyone who's ever tried to outrun their own shame. And if there’s any place that embraces bold, emotional, genre-bending storytelling, it’s Edinburgh.
03. How would you describe your show in three words?
Raw. Campy. Tender.
04. What do you hope audiences take away from watching your performance?
Laughter, first and foremost — big, guttural, “did-he-just-say-that?” kind of laughter. But underneath that, I hope people leave feeling a little more connected to themselves. There’s a quote I love from Tara Brach: “It’s not until we stop running from ourselves and offer compassion to our unmet needs that we can truly awaken.” That’s what I want this show to offer — the kind of emotional permission we rarely give ourselves. To laugh, to feel, and to remember that we already belong.
05. What’s your top tip for surviving the Fringe?
To enjoy it. With all the stress, exhaustion, and chaos, I want to keep coming back to why I’m here — to share something meaningful, connect with others, and celebrate this wild, beautiful experience.
I take my artistry seriously, but I’m reminding myself not to take the festival too seriously.
06. Where and when can people see your show?
Venue 53, theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall
Aug 1-9 22:35, Aug 18-23 13:05
Venue 43, the Space @ Symposium Hall
Aug 11-14 22:45, Aug 15-16 22:15
Show runtime is 50mins
READ MORE FROM THE FRINGE..
