Don't Mess With The Dummies at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Name of Edinburgh show: Don’t Mess With The Dummies
Venue: Underbelly Bristo Square – Cowbarn
Performance time: 11:20am
Show length: 1hr
Ticket price: £12.50

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your performing background?
I’m Shona and I’m a circus performer and coach. Since 2012 I’ve performed taught and trained in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Europe since I finished high school in 2012. My main specialities are hula hoops, skipping and anything silly! This year I started working for Dummies Corp. and making our new amazing show, Don’t Mess With the Dummies!

Tell me about your new show, what it is all about?
Don’t Mess with the Dummies is about 3 hilarious (or at least some people think so) ladies who find themselves of a camping trip of epic proportions! Almost every prop we have turns into something it’s not and we just have lots of silly, circus fun! It’s perfect for kids but there are also loads of jokes in there for parents to enjoy too.

How long have you been working on this show and what is it that makes it relevant to audiences in 2019?
We started working on this show last year but we’ve only done about 8 weeks of training and rehearsals together. Before this we had never worked with each other so we definitely had a lot to learn, fast! We’ve been performing this show around Australia since April and we are so excited to be in Edinburgh. I think this show is relevant because fun is always relevant! We just want people to forget their worries for an hour and come join us for some laughs and some wonder.

Do you have any top tips for surviving the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – both for performers and visitors to the event?
It’s a marathon, not a sprint! Make sure you get enough sleep and eat enough food. I know I find it too easy to falling into trying to see every show and meet up with every friend in the first week but try and space out your shows and socialising as much of you can. Oh yeah, and make sure you have a comfy bed to go back to!

What has been the funniest or most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you on stage?
Last year I was performing my solo street show in London and I didn’t realise until after my show that my short shorts had ripped…Right up the bottom! Luckily our Dummies costumes are much studier than those shorts.

Who are your biggest inspirations in the industry and why?
My biggest inspirations in the industry are people like Jess Love and Chelsea McGuffin. They are both super incredible women with strong aesthetics, amazing skills and have done so much amazing work in the Australian, and international circus community. My other biggest inspirations are my glorious friends who are just so incredibly brave, hilarious, kind and talented.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Our show is very physical so before the show we need to do a full body stretch and warm up as well as practising all the amazing acrobatics we do in the show. Just before we meet the audience we also have a secret, Dummies ritual to check in with each other before the show and make sure we’re all feeling good. It’s very silly and its slowly growing bigger and bigger.

What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at Edinburgh Fringe?
We are SO excited to see our friends in Yuck Circus, Rouge, Laser Kiwi, The Long Pigs and of course, Splash Test Dummies. Another show from Dummies Corp.

Why do you think people should come and see your show over the thousands of others on at the fringe?
We have never failed to get a laugh out of an audience! Every time we do the show, the best part is seeing kids and adults smiling and laughing with us and falling into our hilarious jungle, circus world. And really, who wouldn’t want to see three, strong, badass women throwing each other up and down the stage.

Thanks for having Tea With Wilma

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