EDINBURGH 2026: EXTRA DRY Q&A

BWW catches up with Michelle Johnson to chat about bringing Extra Dry to the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about Extra Dry.

I had just seen Prima Facie starring Jodie Comer on Broadway. It was astonishing how one person could control a story and hold the entire audience's attention for an hour and a half. I left the theater thinking, well I may never be able to perform Prima Facie on a Broadway stage, but I can try my hardest and create whatever the equivalent of that would be for my life. 

I already had a monologue-length version of Extra Dry written as an exercise from my acting class. I decided to expand upon this and see where the writing took me. After a visit to the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2023, I knew this personal bit of storytelling would find its stage, and hopefully its audience, at this festival.

On the surface, Extra Dry is an autobiographical solo show about alcohol addiction. This show dives into the positive reinforcement that the narrator receives, presented through stories retold to her about events she could not remember herself. At its core, it's about wanting to remain in other's memories, even at the loss of your own.

What are some of the challenges with bringing such a personal story to the festival?

It's hard to strike the balance between wanting people to relate to you but also feeling unique. It's comforting to know that others have gone through similar struggles. But there is still the part that wants to stand out and not feel boring, something the narrator is battling throughout the whole show. 

On top of this, if people reject the show, it feels extra personal as it's me and my story. The character I'm playing is a past version of myself, but still a part of me and who I became today. When I've acted in the past, it's been someone else's words, someone else's story. It's hard not to carry the extra pressure that comes with deeply personal storytelling.

How do the blackouts add to the narrative?

The blackouts serve as a visual representation to the story as it's told. Their repetitive nature breaks up the storytelling, and the audience is never left with a full picture of what happened on any particular night (or day). My team and I felt that it was best to recreate the experience as best as possible. There is a moment when the lights come up that no one, not even the narrator, has any idea what is going on or where we are. The blackouts put the audience and the narrator on the same Playing Field...ok, we're here together. Let's figure out what happened.

Who would you like to come and see it?

Ahhh it's hard to be picky with the Fringe audiences, isn't it? Part of the challenge, especially as a first-time Fringe performer, is getting people in the room at all! 

But if you're asking, anyone who feels any sort of hesitation to see it based on the subject matter, I hope they decide to come see it for themselves. There's a lot of laughter to be had throughout the show, at my own expense, which can be therapeutic! 

What would you like audiences to take away from it?

My goal this entire time has been that people don't leave feeling judged, and I hope we've succeeded at telling stories in a way that doesn't seem critical to those who went through similar experiences. While a lot of the stories are relatable, either firsthand or through close friends or family, I hope people feel acknowledged in a way that is comforting. Wanting to fit in and be remembered by others is a human trait, and maybe we go about it the wrong way for a long time. But I know that seeing this type of show would have helped me through some challenging times in the past, and if that happens for even one person who attends, it's a big win.

Extra Dry runs at Edfringe 7-29 August

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