Edinburgh Fringe 2022
Interview
Sasha Ellen
Creeps and Geeks
VENUE 302 - Underbelly, Bristo Square - Daisy
Aug 3-15, 17-29 / Tickets
June 6, 2022
Sasha Ellen takes a hilarious journey into unsafe spaces, encountering errant schoolboys, Level 9 healers and strangely sexy quiz masters.
Hi Sasha, thank you for talking to The New Current, how have you been keeping during these strange times?
Not bad! What did I do in the various lockdowns? I think I was meant to learn how to crochet banana bread, while perfecting my baboon solo, but I mainly just played online games with friends and avoided housemates like the plague.
What was your first Edinburgh Fringe experience like?
It was the Fringiest one I had to date. I was hired as an actor for a narrative sketch show at silly o’clock. So no sleep, sharing a flat with a million people and flyering in costume for 4 hours a day. I had a deep-fried Mars bar and everything. Oh to be young…
Congratulations on your Leicester Comedy Festival Best New Show 2022 nomination for Creeps and Geeks, what has it meant you to get this type of recognition for your show?
It was a really nice thing! The show was still a work-in-progress at that point so it was lovely to feel like I was heading in the right direction with it. And Leicester Comedy Festival is always a delight! Lovely audiences, all the comics in one place, super nice curry!
How does it feel to being Creeps and Geeks to Underbelly this summer?
I love performing at the Underbelly; it’s such a great venue. And I think given that this is the first full Fringe we’re going to have in 3 years, it’s gonna be joyous. And intense. Joyously intense. Intensely joyous.
What can you tell me about Creeps and Geeks, what was the inspiration behind the show?
It was just an eventful night out I had that kinda sparked it all. I came back to the city I lived in for over a decade and went out with some old friends I hadn’t seen in a long time and a combination of those things made me see it all in a new way.
"Give the only other opera singing comedy magician at the Fringe a run for their money."
When you preview a new show how much does it change before a major festival and do you still allow yourself some flexibility once a run has started?
I think you need to have some flexibility and there are always things you discover while running the show, but I don’t think I’ve ever made any major changes mid run. Maybe this is the year? Week 2 of the Fringe I’ll abandon my autobiographical show and suddenly become an opera singing comedy magician. Give the only other opera singing comedy magician at the Fringe a run for their money.
And finally, do you have any advice to offer any comedians making their fringe debut?
Have fun. See as many shows as you can. Do one touristy thing that makes you feel like you’ve been to Edinburgh the city, not the place where the Fringe happens. Occasionally get some sleep. But not too much or you’ll miss EVERYTHING.