Edinburgh Fringe Chats (#131): Barnie Duncan, OOOKY POOKY
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 Barnie Duncan to find out more about Oooky Pooky.
1. Can you begin by telling us about your show and what inspired it?
This is a show about the concept of destiny, about guruism, and about clowning crossing the line. I had wanted to make a show about guruism for a while, because of a long-standing hatred of Russell Brand, and because I lived on an ashram in India as a kid. Then late last year I found a cassette tape that my late mum had made when I was a toddler, where she went to an astrological expert and got my entire life predicted. When I listened to the tape I found some weird crossovers into this guruism idea and then I realised I had a show to be made. Then I kinda looked back on my own performing career, found some gritty moments and figured out I could glue it all together with a moth and a stingray.
2. What made you want to bring this work to the Fringe this year?
Trygve and I really wanted to hang out again and try and make a new show. The last show we
made, Different Party, did really well and toured the world and won awards, and we wanted to make a new stab at something. But he lives in Prague, and I live in New Zealand. So we thought we’d meet in Edinburgh to sort something out. And I thought, seeing as I am here doing Different Party again, and making our new show Hot Chips, why not make it a trifecta and do some Oooky Pooky business at the same time!
3. How would you describe your show in three words?
Tangential brain slap
4. What do you hope audiences take away from watching your performance?
I love that thing when you go to a show, and then when the show finishes you say to whoever you came with “I think I need a drink and a chat about what we just saw”, so I would love for audiences to experience that. That and a sore face.
5. What’s your top tip for surviving the Fringe?
Stay dry, pick your laaate nights wisely, make sure you give Arthur’s Seat a slap on the butt.
6. Where and when can people see your show?
Barnie Duncan: Oooky Pooky is on 31 Jul - 24 Aug (not 6, 11) at Assembly Roxy (Roxy Boxy), 19:05 (60 mins).
You can also catch me in Trygve Wakenshaw and Barnie Duncan: Different Party, 30 July - 17 August (not 6, 11), Assembly George Square Studios (Studio 2), 17:10 AND Trygve Wakenshaw and Barnie Duncan: Hot Chips, 2-24 August (not 11), Underbelly Cowgate (Big Belly), 23:10.
