Edinburgh Fringe Chats (#146): Kayleigh Jones, I FED MY DAD TO A PELICAN
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 Kayleigh Jones to find out more about I Fed My Dad To A Pelican.
1. Can you begin by telling us about your show and what inspired it?
‘I Fed My Dad to a Pelican’ is my debut comedy hour, inspired by my real-life experience of doing just that. The show tells the wild true story of how, on Christmas morning 2010, I found out that the man I thought was my dad… wasn’t, and that my real dad was, well, probably someone else.
What follows is a 7-year, offbeat quest to track down my biological father. The pelican part? You’ll have to see for yourself. It’s stand-up meets one-person show meets Who Do You Think You Are? – on acid, punctuated with musical comedy.
2. What made you want to bring this work to the Fringe this year?
I’ve had my sights set on Edinburgh for a while now. After testing the show at other fringe festivals over the past couple of years, this year felt like the right time to bring it to a bigger platform.
I have loved the response from audience members after my show, telling me their own mad family stories after seeing themselves represented. It’s also important to me to elevate working‑class voices and stories that aren’t heard enough in the arts. We’re funny too.
3. How would you describe your show in three words?
Wild. Unpredictable. Musical.
4. What do you hope audiences take away from watching your performance?
I want audiences to get swept up in the story and laugh at the madness of it all. I hope they feel like they’ve been on the journey with me, and had a right laugh along the way.
While the show is based on my own experience, I think a lot of people grow up with gaps in their story, and no one really teaches you what to do with that. It’s about navigating the messiness of life and figuring out who you are when your past is incomplete. It’s also about taking someone’s joke too far. Guilty.
5. What’s your top tip for surviving the Fringe?
This is my first Edinburgh Fringe, so I’m hoping someone gives me the answer! But for now, I reckon it’s about pacing yourself and not comparing your journey to others, especially those with big PR teams (I’ve heard this a lot).
I’ve set myself a few small, hopefully realistic goals, and if I manage a bit more, what a lovely bonus. I’m also going to try to look after my voice (I know, boring) and not let the FOMO get the better of me when it comes to seeing every amazing show out there. And drink water!!!
Baby steps, baby!
6. Where and when can people see your show?
You can find me at Blether – Patter House with Gilded Balloon from 30th July to 25th August (not 12th), at 7 pm.
