The Hairy Godmothers on the best and worst of Edinburgh

The Hairy Godmothers are on at the Edinburgh Fringe with two separate Disney In Drag parody shows, alternating at  Assembly George Square at 10.35pm.  Here they shares what they can't get enough of at the festival, their most embarrassing Edinburgh experiences and the worst thing about the Fringe. Apart from the cost of accommodation, obviously…

Edinburgh binge

Meeting new people! 

It sounds cliché but Edinburgh is such a melting pot of individuals from around the world that gather for the like-minded mission of sharing and celebrating creative expression. 

Last year, we got to watch a range of shows in different styles, formats and context, which was very inspiring creatively. We got to meet patrons after our shows that had travelled from near and wide to see the show which was humbling. 

Finally, we had the chance to meet other artists, producers, tech staff, bar staff and front-of-house team which made it feel like a big family! When you’re on the road for a lot of the year, finding like-minded people with a shared vision makes it feel like home. Meeting lovely people that come to our shows and come up to chat afterwards is always one of our favourite parts too, so please come chat to us if you see our shows!

Edinburgh cringe 

Fringe is full of funny moments, especially when you’re performing in a large group. As an eight-person drag show we need a lot of space and costume changes. Our dressing room last year during the show was a small stairwell!

 It wasn’t open to the public, but it was a very amusing sight with glitter, sequins and manic mid-show changes in a small space. There were some very funny acrobatics going on too. 

The nature of Fringe, we make it work!

Edinburgh whinge

FOMO (fear of missing out) is the hardest thing! So many amazing opportunities and shows with so little time. It’s very common to meet people and get excited for their show only to find out the season has already finished. 

Last year was our first time at Edinburgh so we were trying to do everything: shows, spruiking and promoting, spots in other people’s shows, see as many shows as we could and more. We’ve learnt our lesson for this year……we think! 

The intention this year will be to cultivate JOMO (joy of missing out). Planning in advance some nights in to rest and reset (baths and movie nights are our best friend), asking for recommendations on shows in advance so we can plan a couple of nights out, and finding creative ways to experience shows that you missed out on eg. if someone saw a show that sounds interesting but the season is finished, get them to reinterpret the show but in interpretive dance!

 You’re always going to miss out on something so accepting that allows you to embrace where you are in every moment.

Published: 7 Aug 2024