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Entertainment News, THE DEBUTANT

Edinburgh Fringe with Spice

August 13, 2025 Rara Avis Leave a comment

LULA.XYZ ANNOUNCES“EDINBURGH FRINGE WITH SPICE”A DEDICATED BROCHURE AND MARKETING INITIATIVE FOR ALL ARTISTS OF COLOUR

Edinburgh Fringe with Spice is a brand new pilot initiative launched at Edinburgh Fringe 2025 to spotlight Global Majority and non-white artists at the festival. Spearheaded by LULA.XYZ, she will lead a series of programmes with the support from City of Edinburgh Council, Underbelly and Fringe of Colour.

‘Our aim is to increase diversity in audiences at the fringe. We want to make sure the communities we write about are in the room’ says LULA.XYZ.

The digital brochure is available online immediately with a printed version to be available on Thursday.

The initiative has multiple elements designed to counter the negative bias of non-white stories and address the overwhelmingly white audience demographic of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, covered in both The Guardian and The Stage. With almost 4,000 shows programmed fewer than 10% centre Artists of Colour, according to the Fringe of Colour database. And ‘whilst it’s easy to complain, I chose to celebrate those of us who are here representing against all the odds’ LULX.XYZ adds.

LULA.XYZ is piloting the following actions for 2025:Edinburgh Fringe with Spice: A dedicated brochure of all shows by non-white artists, created with the support of the Fringe of Colour database. This has only been possible thanks to the support from The City of Edinburgh Council, Culture and Wellbeing Service, Diversity and Inclusion Fund

OommoO.xyz: A public facing centralised digital space where Global Majority Shows are spotlighted, and audience reviews drive discovery. Designed to widen the frame of feedback and capture what the press misses. Real, unfiltered feedback from the people who matter most, those who have paid to see the work.
200 tickets have been bought for the global majority shows programmed by Underbelly to be distributed to new audiences. Providing active outreach at no cost to the artist (in partnership with Underbelly). Initially started by Fringe of Colour 2019, with LULA.XYZ picking up the baton in 2025.

Whilst there are a lot of initiatives actioned for the purpose of access and audience development to address some things, we believe outreach should not be the responsibility of the artists/companies.

Jodie Adams, senior programmer for Underbelly said:

“The Edinburgh Fringe With Spice Initiative is a crucial new scheme from pioneering artist LULA.XYZ, building on the work of Fringe of Colour to ensure Global Majority artists and audiences are giving visibility and support at what is still an overwhelmingly white festival. Underbelly are delighted to be presenting Lula’s shows and to be supporting this initiative by donating free tickets to community groups at no cost to the artists, enabling them to see shows by Performers of Colour that they may otherwise not have seen. By boosting visibility to the Edinburgh Fringe With Spice brochure and website wherever possible we are hoping to encourage everyone across the festival to check out and support the work of all these fantastic artists and help amplify their voices.“

LULA.XYZ said:

“As an artist, my work speaks to more than the usual theatre goer, it is a gateway for communities who traditionally think theatre is not for them. Knowing that, I do a lot of outreach to engage the communities I write about. For a lot of them, my work would have been their first theatre experience and as a byproduct of that, they want to see more but this environment has not been accessible. Audiences that want to engage with global majority stories can’t find us. There has been no easy way to navigate through it all. So I decided to do something about it.”

About LULA.XYZ

LULA.XYZ is an award winning multidisciplinary artist working at the intersection of theatre, music and technology. Described as ‘the future of new storytelling’ she received an Oram award and is gaining recognition for her innovation and cultural impact.

Credits include: I AM – One of many, many of One (Summerhall, Underbelly), I AM – A Walking Universe (Summerhall, Underbelly), Punk Alley (Southbank Centre), Parakeet (Boundless Theatre), Rapunzel (Wicked Productions), Journeys Beyond (Eclipse Theatre).

She has created the audio/visual installation Everyone is a Storyteller (Upswing) and North Star Fading (Positive Negative) which was nominated for an Inspiration award. Her film credit is the title role of Semret (Cinedokki), winner of Best Narrative Feature Award at Montreal International Black Films Festival and official selection of Locarno Film Festival.

Website: https://lula.xyz/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lula.xyz / @LULA.XYZ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lulamebrahtu/

ABOUT FRINGE OF COLOUR

Fringe of Colour was founded in 2018 in response to the scarcity of shows by People of Colour at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the disproportionate promotion and support they receive in comparison to productions by white performers.

LISTINGS FOR LULA.XYZ

I AM – One of many, many of One Iron Belly, Underbelly 66 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JX Preview 31st July 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23 August 2025

Tickets from £9 / £15 17:10pm – 18:10pm 60 mins Age 12+ (Guideline)

Event warnings: Contains distressing or potentially triggering themes http://underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/

I AM – A Walking Universe Iron Belly, Underbelly 66 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JX

Preview 31st July 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24 August 2025 Tickets from £9 / £15 17:10pm – 18:10pm 60 mins Age 12+ (Guideline) Event warnings: Contains distressing or potentially triggering themes http://underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/

The project began as a database of shows.

Website: https://www.fringeofcolour.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fringeofcolour

About Underbelly at the Edinburgh Fringe

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the largest arts festival in the world, and Underbelly is one of its largest venues. With over 160 shows, 2025 saw over 2500 performances take place across its 20 venues and 4 sites – George Square, Circus Hub, Cowgate and Bristol Square. Underbelly showcases the best international work of all genres, and there’s no better place to be in August.

About Underbelly Ltd

Underbelly is a UK-based live entertainment company. Their events and festivals division runs one of the largest operations at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In October 2023, Underbelly established its first permanent venue with the Underbelly Boulevard theatre in the heart of Soho. Elsewhere, Underbelly also produces Christmas in Leicester Square, Skate West End in Hanover Square, West End Live in Trafalgar Square, and Pride in London for Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre.

Website: http://underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/underbellyedinburgh/ / @underbellyedinburghFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/underbellyedinburgh

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/UnderbellyLtd

About the City of Edinburgh Council

The City of Edinburgh Council is the second largest council in Scotland and the ninth largest in the UK, with a workforce of 19,000 employees and a budget of around £1bn for the financial year 2015/16.

The Council is committed to playing a dynamic role on the local, national and international stage. The Council has a strong commitment to corporate management, a willingness to innovate and a determination to set the highest standards.

The Council plays a central role in shaping the continued success of Edinburgh as a 21st century capital city. Our responsibilities are wide-ranging, from our superb schools through to social work, housing, economic development, parks and green spaces, culture and sport, festivals and events, roads and transport.

About Underbelly

Underbelly is a UK-based live entertainment company. Our events and festivals division operates one of the largest operations at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. With over 160 shows, 2024 saw over 280,000 tickets sold across its 21 venues and 4 sites – Bristo Square, George Square, Cowgate and Circus Hub.

Debutant Creatives, Entertainment News, Film, Global News, THE DEBUTANT

Edinburgh Fringe Festival Debut, Big Little Sister

August 8, 2025 Rara Avis Leave a comment

Big Little Sister: Holly Gifford’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival Debut

Holly Gifford’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival Debut, Big Little Sister, is a darkly funny and emotionally sharp solo play about growing up in someone else’s shadow — when that someone is your sibling
with disabilities.

Big Little Sister cuts through the cliches of “inspirational” sibling stories. Through surrealist storytelling, monologue, and multimedia, including dialogue voiced by her brother’s communication aid.
Supported by Keep It Fringe, this production is a tribute to the “glass children”— the term coined to represent ‘invisible’ siblings who grow up in the shadows of siblings with additional needs.

But what happens when this glass child cracks?
As the story unfolds, she begins to question what it means to speak on behalf of her brother. By using his literal voice, is she becoming the very filter she set out to challenge—the one that makes their lives palatable?

The show was born out of writer / performer Holly Gifford’s lived experience and desire to challenge those who benefit from the stereotypical, motivational ‘content’ we create around those with
disabilities. Equally, who are the beneficiaries of keeping these real stories silenced?

Big Little Sister is a tribute; to growing up alongside someone profoundly different, and to the defiant joy stitched in the seams of grief and guilt.

Holly Gifford is a Bristol-made, London-based writer and performer. Gifford creates new work blending theatre, comedy, and multimedia to tell emotionally complex stories with a sprinkle of social commentary. Big Little Sister is her debut solo show. Gifford’s voice is honest, self-aware, and deeply compassionate.

Big Little Sister is directed by Scarlett Stitt, a London-based actor, writer, and theatre-maker known for her bold and dynamic work across film, television, and stage. At the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe, she co-created and performed in Kissing A Fool, a queer clown-cabaret exploring George Michael’s journey through grief and creativity. The show later transferred to the Soho Theatre. Alongside Gifford, Stitt also runs and hosts drag cabaret nights at the Yard Theatre with their collective,
@haus0fintrusivethots.

Big Little Sister is produced in partnership with Stoke The Embers and Honey Theatre, and is supported by Collective Acting Studio, Soho Theatre Edinburgh Lab and was first developed with the National Youth Theatre.

Audience testimonials:

‘It was beautiful. As someone who’s sister is autistic, I could relate to a lot of the themes of siblings having to act as parents and the resentment that can build. This play navigated that experience with such thoughtfulness, that I was on the verge of tears by the end.’ – Jahrhys Greenidge

‘The truth, the originality, the story that’s what made it powerful. Holly brought realness. A raw, unfiltered connection. You felt her love for her brother in every word, every breath. There was no performance, only presence. She didn’t just tell a story she invited us into it. And we followed, willingly, because it was honest.’ – Michelle Hope

‘A beautiful, intimate and hilarious sharing of sibling love.’ – Tamara Davis

This intimate play invites audiences into a world of shared madness, lack of control, and abundant love.

Title: Big Little Sister
Venue: ZOO Playground (Playground 2) (Venue 186)
Tickets: Mon-Thu £12 (£11), Fri-Sat £13 (£12)
Previews: 1-3 Aug 2025 Dates: 5-24 Aug 2025 (not 11, 18)
Time: 10:35am (1h)
Guidance: 12+
Box Office: 0131 356 0349,
Website: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/big-little-sister
Instagram: @hollylarag

Comedy, Entertainment News, Global News, THE DEBUTANT

Edinburgh Festival Comedy: A Work in Progress with Eryn Tett

August 7, 2025 Rara Avis Leave a comment

‘Eryn Tett Finds Her Audience’ At Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Following her debut show, ‘Eryn Tett Finds Her Audience’ (RVK Festival ‘Funny Fringe Award’ winner/British Comedy Guide’s Top 40 Comedy Shows of 2022), Eryn Tett is developing her next hour: an experimental, immersive comedy packed with her uniquely off-kilter perspective and trademark offbeat jokes.

Expect facts, ceremonies, and a non-stop handshake that may or may not evolve into everyone making out (that’s up to you). All of it is made possible by a not-at-all ominous megacorporation that’s changing the world (for the better).

Born and raised in Singapore, Eryn moved to the UK to pursue comedy. After making her mark on the competition circuit with her distinctive style, she was diagnosed as autistic — a discovery that both validates and celebrates her offkilter perspective, and allowed access to nurturing environments where she has truly thrived.

She was recently featured on U&DAVE’s Rosie Jones’ Disability
Extravaganza and hired as a writer on the CBBC/RTE show Pablo (an autistic-led children’s animation). Her comedy has taken her to New Zealand, New York, and Iceland, but her true new home is Manchester — the headquarters of the greatest megacorporation on Earth: The Global Megacorp Institute of Manchester (GMIM)

GMIM holds the secret to financial bliss, community loyalty, and changing your life (for the better). The benevolent GMIM CEO has revealed the truth: on December 15, 2027, the global economy will crash, and GMIM coin will take over. Now is the time to invest in yourself and your future before it’s too late.

Known for her strange and sharp one-liners, Eryn Tett’s clowning and play take centre stage in this new work-in-progress: a genre-bending, reality-warping immersive satire of cults, comedy today, and the commodification of human connection.

The show took home the Cork Fringe Favourite Award at the RVK Fringe this year and continues to evolve under the generous sponsorship of the Global Megacorp Institute of Manchester: Once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Every. Single. Day.

ERYN TETT

As seen on U&DAVE, BBC3, CH4 Playgrounds
**** Mumblecomedy **** The Wee Review
**** Funny Women **** Neurodiverse Review
RVK Fringe: ‘Cork Fringe Favourite’ 2025 WINNER
RVK Fringe: ‘Funny of the Fringe’ 2023 WINNER
Neurodiverse Review ‘Actually Autistic Excellence Award’ 2022

SHORTLIST
British Comedy Guide’s ‘TOP 40 SHOWS OF 2022’
The Times + The Guardian’s 2022 BEST JOKES OF THE FRINGE
Greater Manchester Fringe ‘Best Show’ 2022 NOMINEE
Chortle’s ‘Comedy ones to watch 2022’ SHOUTOUT
Cherry Comedy Breakout Act of the Year 2020 WINNER
Funny Women Awards 2020 2ND PLACE
Mister Tibbs Film Fund 2025 FINALIST
Girls in Film X Inclusivity Films 2025 LONGLIST
5050/Fulwell 73 Comedy Shorts Comp October 2021 WINNER
Funny Women Comedy Shorts 2020/2021/2022 SHORTLIST

Title of Show: Eryn Tett is Sponsored by the Global Megacorp
Institute of Manchester (WIP)
Venue: Laughing Horse Free Fringe-The Snug @ Bar50
Time: 3.45pm
Dates: 13TH – 17th August

“Chaotically bonkers…truly one-of-a-kind comedic experience” Blizzard Comedy

“Compulsive viewing of the highest order” –Mumblecomedy

“Memorable, distinctive new voice” –The Telegraph

“Absurd and original jokes…so much originality and commitment to innovation” –Funny Women

Art, Entertainment News, EVENTS, THE DEBUTANT

One Of The UK’s Top Hypnotists Comes To Edinburgh Fringe

August 5, 2025 Rara Avis Leave a comment

Prepare to have your minds blown as Daniel Sinclair, one of the UK’s top hypnotists and mind-readers – and Harry Potter lookalike – brings his two unmissable shows to Edinburgh Fringe: Comedy Hypnosis and The Mind Reader.

Ever thought you’d witness an adult morph before your eyes into their 5-year-old self? An accountant forget how to count to 10? Two strangers turn into the stars of Bridget Jones’ Diary? Or perhaps a volunteer convinced that a 5″2 balding gent in the front row is in fact Taylor Swift?

These are just a few examples of the phenomena you’ll be treated to. You’ll be left questioning your very sanity.

His hypnosis shows will (quite literally) keep you stuck to your seats, while his mindreading performances will leave you pondering whether Daniel could know exactly what’s lurking in your internet search history!

REVIEWS

“THE NEXT DERREN BROWN“
– Phoenix Arts

“MIND-BLOWING ENTERTAINMENT”
– BBC Three Counties Radio

“NEXT LEVEL INCREDIBLE… UNCANNILY CLEVER”
– Sofitel Hotel Group

“A HAIR RAISING PERFORMANCE”
– Fringe Review

“SUCH AN INSANE EXPERIENCE”
– Cole Anderson-James (YouTube influencer)

His shows are as follows:

COMEDY HYPNOSIS SHOW: THE HYPNOTIST LIVE (free)

· @ Liquid Room, Warehouse (venue no. 276), 9C Victoria St, Edinburgh EH1 2HE

The show where volunteers have their imaginations unlocked and realities altered… all through the power of hypnosis.

Buckle up tight. Prepare to be spellbound while laughing out loud. Choose to SEE the show or BE the show.

THE MIND READER LIVE: MIND READING & MENTALISM SHOW (free)

· @ Liquid Room, Warehouse (venue no. 276), 9C Victoria St, Edinburgh EH1 2HE

The show that leaves you questioning your very sanity.

Think of any word or name you like… Would you be impressed if Daniel could guess it? What about the code to unlock your phone? Want to bet he can’t guess that? Think again.

Expect Derren Brown-style mind games, comedy and all-round psychological wonder as Daniel reads volunteers’ minds and makes astonishing predictions live on stage.

About Daniel Sinclair

Daniel Sinclair is one of the UK’s leading stage hypnotists, a renowned mind reader/mentalist and keynote speaker.

A master of combining suspense, comedy and truly jaw-dropping moments, Daniel’s shows take audiences on a rollercoaster ride of their minds, leaving them laughing out loud while questioning their own realities. He has been described as ‘the most impressive’ in his industry with his warm engaging style and ability to connect with all types of audiences.

With performances spanning the globe from the West End to large theatres, festivals, established holiday parks and viral podcasts, Daniel has a knack for leaving crowds gobsmacked wherever he goes.

In recent years, he has read the minds and hypnotised thousands of people. He has also entertained and educated many around the world with his seminar on the mind.

Social media

@daniel.s.hypnotist

https://www.instagram.com/daniel.s.hypnotist

Documentary, Entertainment News, Global News, THE DEBUTANT

Candice Fox, Cheers, Mom! Eulogy for a Living Parent

August 2, 2025 Rara Avis Leave a comment

NYC-based writer, filmmaker and performer Candice Fox is bringing her show, Cheers, Mom! Eulogy For a Living Parent to the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Following themes from much of her work exploring addiction, family dynamics and the complexities of human relationships, Cheers, Mom! is a wild, hilarious solo show about grief, love and mommy issues. Fox dives into the chaos of loss and a complex mother-daughter saga, blending raw storytelling with striking visuals.

She examines grief in its messy glory, awkward moments and accidental wisdom, navigating the strange ways we stumble forward. This show isn’t just about death, it’s about mourning someone still alive, dealing with estrangement and how addiction distorts family history. Deeply intimate, darkly funny, Cheers, Mom! Is cathartic, relatable and unexpected. You’ll laugh, cry and probably text your mom something unhinged afterward!

Candice Fox, Writer/Performer:

Candice Fox is a writer, filmmaker, and performer based in New York City. Her films have screened at international festivals including the New York Movie Awards and Paris Film Awards, and her essays appear on Medium’s leading mental health platform, Invisible Illness. In addition to publishing the poetry collection Mental Maps, she is also currently working on a feature-length documentary exploring a personal and life-altering trauma.

Preston Mui, Director:

Preston is a multidisciplinary performer who has been on Broadway in Hamilton since 2019, bringing nearly 30 years of experience in dance, acting, and stagecraft. Raised in San Francisco, he trained in singing, martial arts, and dance from a young age, studying at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts. His career spans TV, film, live stage, and 360 video, with performance credits alongside icons like Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, and John Legend. Preston’s work blends music, movement, and visual storytelling to create deeply immersive experiences.

Reed Luplau, Movement Direction:

Reed Luplau is an Australian-born dancer, choreographer, and performer whose career spans Broadway, film, opera, and contemporary dance. He has performed with renowned companies like Sydney Dance Company and Stephen Petronio Company, and appeared in Broadway productions including Moulin Rouge!, The Great Comet of 1812, and Fiddler on the Roof. Reed’s choreographic work includes Head Over Heels, Broadway Bares, and an ASL production of Spring Awakening. He is currently the co-creator and director of When We Touch, a dance narrative exploring a mother-son relationship under a repressive regime.