EDINBURGH 2022: Elf Lyons Q&A

BWW catches up with Elf Lyons to chat about bringing Raven to the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about Raven.

It is a comedy spectacle show. Highly physical and theatrical, but inherently funny. I use mime. clowning and sound effects, to re-create people's nightmares on stage, whilst also telling the audience some ghost stories from my childhood. It also has Kevin Bacon in it.

What was the inspiration behind writing the show?

I love the tightrope walk between horror and comedy and the feeling of tension you create in an audience when making both. That intake of breath before either the scream or the laugh. I've made many shows now and they've all had a different challenge - this one for me is the most personal one and the most challenging yet.

Do you think you know what to expect from the festival?

Not this year! I feel like this year is going to be an absolute explosion of hormones. For so many artists this is a yearly hedonistic work-a-thon pilgrimage and the fact we've missed a few years due to Covid means everyone's fringe energy is pent up and ready to explode. I am expecting chaos.

And you have a late night show as well?

Yes, because if there is one thing I love most, it is the feeling of exhaustion and I absolutely love to go to work.

Who would you recommend comes to see Raven?

Any 'constant readers' (got to put a Stephen King reference somewhere).Anyone who fancies seeing something that isn't straight stand up and anyone who fancies seeing something very Fringe. This show is very comic, silly and dynamic and also it is relatable to anyone - regardless of whether you've read any Stephen King. This show is for anyone who ever felt scared turning the light off....

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