EDINBURGH 2026: THE LADY DOTH PROTEST Q&A
The Lady Doth Protest runs at Edfringe from 17 - 29 August
BWW catches up with playwright Mark Blankenship, to chat about bringing The Lady Doth Protest to the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Tell us a bit about The Lady Doth Protest
The Lady Doth Protest is a VERY dark comedy about a "great man of the theatre" whose presentation on the meaning of Shakespeare is interrupted by a woman in the audience who disputes his interpretation of the Bard. At first these two battle for control of the play, and then things take a sinister turn. Also, there's an accordionist onstage who witnesses all this.
What was the inspiration behind creating it?
I'm the playwright (Mark Blankenship), and I was at lunch with my friend and collaborator Nealy Glenn when she told me she was craving a play that would let her deliver Shakespeare's monologues for women while also exploring whether a woman can ever really control her own story. By the time we finished our salads, we had sketched out the plot of this show.
Why bring it to Edinburgh?
Audiences at Edinburgh Fringe are receptive to the kinds of tonal and structural swings we're taking here. We're eager to invite them on the demented Ferris wheel of our show.
How has it been received so far?
We were lucky to have a sold-out run Off Broadway at 59E59, as well as a sold-out reading in Nashville. Every time, audiences left debating who was the "hero" and the "villain" of the piece. That told us we were onto something.
What would you like audiences to take away from it?
I hope audiences feel entertained, startled, and ready to argue about which character's side they're on.
The Lady Doth Protest runs at Edfringe from 17 - 29 August
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