Al Samuels

Al Samuels: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

Nervexcithuasted. That’s a portmanteau of nervous, excited and exhausted.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

We have two:

Thrones! a musical parody of Game of Thrones. This will be our fifth time at Fringe with Thrones, and we update the show each series, including the 8th and final (and controversial) season. We just finished a month long run at the Sydney Opera House and the audiences there seemed to really enjoy it and the ways in which we beat up the last season.
Baby Wants Candy, a completely improvised musical with a full band (that’s mostly Scottish!). This will be our 14th Fringe, and I just love performing this show. We take a bunch of titles from the audience of a musical that’s never been written and performed. The audience votes on what they want to see that night, and we make it up in front of their eyes. Some of my favourite titles in recent years from Fringe have been Kanye West Side Story, Mary Poppins has Ebola and of course, I F*cked Your Mom. Fringe audiences are pretty high brow. What is the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?

What is the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?

Money. It costs a lot to bring shows from overseas to Fringe.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

Hmmm. I think I just like it more and more every year. One of my favourite things to do ever.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Catherine Cohen and Zach Zimmerman. Both hilarious and wonderful.

Where would you like to be in a year’s time?

Getting ready for Edinburgh Fringe 2020 and hopefully toasting that Trump got arrested before the election.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR ‘THRONES!‘ HERE AND ‘BABY WANTS CANDY’ HERE