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Three Shows About Life Experiences

By Caro Moses | Published on Wednesday 3 August 2022

Three shows about life experiences at Edinburgh Festival 2022…

Illegally Funny | Laughing Horse @ Cabaret Voltaire | 4-28 Aug (pictured)
The Fringe is full of people telling life stories, whether it’s their own or someone else’s, whether true, embroidered or false, so I think it’s time to honour that particular type of show. They occur all over the Festival, in fact, in every kind of genre, but our first pick for this section is from comedian Sid Singh, who returns to Edinburgh to explore “what it means to actually be smart by making you laugh at the crazy things he did and the amazing things you did since the last time he was at the Fringe”. Expect to hear about his work as a refugee lawyer and advocate, his anti-vaxxer girlfriend, about helping to beat Donald Trump in court, and arguments with his former gang member turned cancer scientist and climate change sceptic father. Phew, a lot to take in. Click here for info and tickets.

Breathless | Pleasance Courtyard | 3-29 Aug
“What happens when the things we covet hide us from ourselves? Opening up to new experiences in her late 30s, Sophie is exploring long repressed sides of herself. When a secret she’s keeping from those she loves, and even from herself, threatens to unravel it all, she has to make a choice. Who or what will she decide to give up?” A play by Plymouth Laureate Of Words Laura Horton about her own experiences of a hoarding disorder. As well as writing the play, she’s also been working with Hoarding UK and Life Pod, and will be releasing a podcast soon in which she speaks to different people about their experiences of hoarding behaviours, so look out for that too if it’s a topic that’s of interest. Click here for info and tickets.

Jon Courtenay: Against The Odds | Gilded Balloon at the Museum | 3-14 Aug
You may be aware of Jon Courtenay from his triumphant appearance on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, but what you may not know is that while he was forging his TV success he was also battling for his life. In this show he combines music, comedy and drama to tell that story. “Accompany him backstage as he wrestles jokes and jeopardy to survive not only the competition but also to just… survive. Doctors and nurses, judges and jokers, all become players in Jon’s musical journey through jubilation, heartache, tumours and television. Reminding you that laughter can be the best medicine, but so can immunotherapy”. Click here for info and tickets.