EDINBURGH 2025: HER RAVING MIND Q&A

BWW caught up with Fenia Gianni to chat about bringing Her Raving Mind to the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. 

Tell us a bit about Her Raving Mind.

Her Raving Mind is a new play premiering in Edinburgh Fringe - an exploration of emotional abuse, human resilience, and the fight for liberation—the quest to break free from a life controlled by narcissism. It tells the story of EL—Elektra—(a nod to Sophocles, though the stories are both familiar and vastly different) as she recounts her life in therapy. Through her eyes, we see how she spiraled into mental illness and how she’s fiercely fighting her way back to freedom. 

This is a Greco-British tragicomedy that weaves in themes of love, death, revenge, and the relentless pursuit of liberty—all spiked with the sharp, dark wit of British humor I love. It’s a genre-blending piece—dark comedy, psychological thriller, and moments of rave music—where the character raves and breaks down under pressure, set against a lighting design that plunges us into her fractured mind. 

Honestly, it’s quite mad— in the best way—letting the audience experience the gaslighting and hidden distortions of reality that narcissism can create. And of course, there are plenty of twists, but I won’t spoil them! :) 

Why is this such an important story to tell?

Abuse, mental health issues, and trauma are unfortunately widespread problems of our time, globally. Narcissism, in particular, is on the rise, and many people struggle to exist within toxic systems—be it family, relationships, or the workplace. Telling a story from the inside out and allowing audiences to experience the visceral, raw emotional abuse—often hidden, not like physical abuse—survivors endure and how it changes them is of crucial importance.

This piece is also quite innovative; we experiment with fragmented storytelling and experimental theatre techniques. When I was writing the play, I was literally in the storm myself, dealing with emotional abuse right at the point where I was pushing myself to break free. The way the play is written—intuitively, from the heart, and from my broken soul—is deeply authentic and, in a dark way, cathartic.

Today, more than ever, we need honest, survivor-led stories told in a therapeutic, cathartic way. We need art that helps our communities heal, and provides a safe space for those affected by abuse and mental health struggles to express their voices and find liberation. That serve our society by revealing what’s truly going on—building understanding, uniting us, and fostering a community rooted in support, empathy, and connection.

I rewrote the ending of the play countless times. Every time I returned to it, I felt a little more liberated. After the two preview shows we did at Brighton Fringe in May, I can honestly say I felt a true sense of freedom. Sharing these personal stories is vital—for the artists themselves and for the audience. Let the truth come out!

How has the support of the Keep It Fringe fund helped with development?

When I wrote this play almost two years ago, I felt the urgent need to shout out to the world and share my story. I wanted people to hear and understand what narcissism does to individuals, especially from the perspective of a female survivor, emphasizing the importance of resilience, boundaries, and self-support through chaos. It was a tough process—my very first full play—and I didn’t have funding. As a single mother and someone who does research in mental health, I lacked the resources to promote my work properly. 

Although fringe festivals and Edinburgh have more support schemes than ever before, they remain expensive. Without that support or personal funding, making it there is nearly impossible. When I heard about the Keep It Fringe initiative, I knew it was an incredible scheme supporting new, challenging work and raw voices that tell the truth—innovative theatre that needs to be heard. I applied, and I was fortunate enough to receive it. That support truly changed my life—literally.

With the team behind me, we pushed forward, developed the production, and pushed boundaries to honor this prestigious award. Thanks to the funding, we were able to cover our actor’s accommodation, create posters, and produce marketing materials so our work can reach a wider audience. It made everything possible. 

Now, we’re ready to bring this bold, raw story to life—the kind that will make you laugh, cry, scream for liberation, and maybe even dance! Yes, we’d love for you to dance with us. :)

With it being such a personal story, how are you planning to take care of yourself while performing it for a month?

Yes, that’s.... quite a challenge! How do you tell and retell your story—how many times in a full run? Oh my! 24 times! (Just joking—I knew that... ;)) Honestly, it’s a very cathartic experience. Articulating aloud what happened to you, when you’re ready, is incredibly freeing. I’ve found that sharing my personal story, although difficult to do openly, is truly life-changing. It’s about embracing vulnerability and giving voice to something that’s otherwise hidden—when you do, it can be deeply healing and empowering. I also love the ending, as I mentioned— it just sets me free! 

That said, I definitely need to take care of myself. I’m already looking for yoga classes in Edinburgh to sign up for almost daily. Most importantly, we have an amazing team—Kat and Edward—who are there to support each other, and I truly believe sharing this experience with them will make all the difference.

The play started as a one-woman show, but I made the conscious decision to share it—more actors, not just to spread the emotional burden (haha), but to deepen the emotional connection with the audience through multiple performers. It’s about creating energy and engagement through the exchange between three actors and our audience, not just a solo performance.

I also plan to connect with other artists during the festival—watch their shows, draw inspiration from their work, and immerse myself in the vibrant atmosphere of Edinburgh. The festival’s spirit is so powerful! Yes—arts, connection, and self-care: the perfect recipe to nourish the soul and lift me higher :)

What would you like audiences to take away from it?

Thank you for such an important question. I love working with our audience—that’s precisely why I adore theatre. It’s live, dynamic, and creates a soaring energy exchange that unfolds as the play develops. As EL shares her life journey, the audience naturally becomes witnesses—sometimes even accomplices… yes, you’ll see when you watch the play ;) —and they kind of experience what victims of abuse truly go through. That alone is incredibly powerful.

Our aim is to create art that allows people to step inside the head of an abuse victim and understand how they might end up where they are today. When I was writing the play, I had this image in my mind: how often we see someone walking on the street, talking to themselves or appearing “crazy,” and we instinctively cross the street, feeling uncomfortable or sad for them. But we rarely stop to ask, “What happened to this person?” I wanted my play to tell that story—to give audiences an inside look at what might be happening beneath the surface. How they got there. To feel what they feel, to understand, to relate.

I hope that, by the end of the play, audiences will reach that point. I believe it would be truly therapeutic for society to feel that connection—to understand and empathize more deeply. When they leave the stage, I want them to truly “know” and “understand”—and to carry that compassion forward. To look at people who have experienced trauma, emotional or physical abuse, or are labeled as ‘crazy’—and see them with empathy and love, not judgment.

And despite the heavy themes discussed, it’s also a fun play—all wrapped up with dark humor used at the most unexpected, bizarre moments. So, while the content might be intense, it’s entertaining in a strange, dancey kind of way, full of good beats and clubbing music. Yes, I want audiences to come out of the theatre realizing that discussing raw, heavy matters doesn’t have to be overly dramatic—it can be cathartic and, in its own weird way, fun too.

Oh, the joy of the arts!

Photo credit: Steve Ullathorne

Her Raving Mind will be at the Just The Tonic Caves Just Up The Road for the month of August for tickets go to www.edfringe.com

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