EDINBURGH 2023: Annabel Marlow Q&A

BWW catches up with Annabel Marlow to chat about bringing "...is this okay??" to the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about …is this okay??

‘…is this okay ??’ is a comedy gig. I always wanted to find a way to create something that allowed me to share my music and comedy with people. I decided I’d wait until the right format and concept came along, because I did not want my first show to feel like a forced idea, or something that did not feel like me.

The vibe of my show ended up coming about so naturally. I did my first ever gig last year, sometime in March. And it was to a room of about 50 friends and family, and I shared all of my songs for the first time. Songs from school about characters I was studying (don't judge I had no goss), songs about my own life from when I was older, songs about things happening in the world that I cared about, my friends, funny songs, more theatrical songs. All of them. Because the audience was people I knew and loved, it felt very casual (not when I was singing my a** off mind you), with a few stories in between songs, laughing and chatting with the audience. It just felt so good in the moment, and fitting with me. And I thought, okay so I don't have to write a plot and create a character for all this music to fit together, I can just be me and hang out with everyone… so... that’s my Edinburgh show quite obviously thank you very much? 

Where might we recognise you from?

If you recognised me, I’d be damned! But I was in the musical Six in 2017, and Public which is on this Fringe but we did a short run at Vaults this year too. Other than that… Instagram? I’m on that a lot.

Having performed at the festival before do you think you know what to expect from it?

When I did Six I was so young, and I really hadn’t performed in anything longer than doing a school play for a week. According to another girl in the cast I was ill for like half of the month long run so I was clearly wiped out! I don't remember that though, I just remember being in the wings every night and thinking that I was so lucky to be part of it, and to see people reacting to this show that would one day be so loved by so many people. I remember people wanting to take our photo in the street too! That was wild. I haven’t performed for a month straight since then, either. So I’m expecting to find that a shock to the system, stamina wise. I’m hoping that my voice holds out, as I’m also performing in Public. Both shows are a big sing so I’m going to have to take such good care of my voice. Whoever you are reading this, if you see me out in Edinburgh with a cigarette, you can smack it out my hand, if you then buy me a snack immediately after. I’m expecting to cry a lot cause… it’s me. I have also been told it might be one of the best months of my life so… a mixture!

And you’re performing in another show this year as well?

Yes. So Public is the other show I’m doing. It’s a musical about 4 people that are stuck for an hour in a gender-neutral public toilet. We sold out our shows at Vaults, and have won various awards so you know it’s good! It was such a delight giving this beautifully written and hilarious character a voice and a body, and bringing myself to her too. Also working in such a small cast is just always interesting because we can really focus on each other and find new things in every rehearsal. I love singing Kyla’s music so much, and I am going to get to do that every night for all of August! LUCKY ME! 

What would you like audiences to take away from your solo show?

Firstly, I’d like my audience to leave with my songs stuck in their heads. Apart from that, I want them to have enjoyed their hour with me. I’m not trying to change the world, or the face of theatre, but what I do want to do is evoke interesting conversations within audience members and their pals (or me!) afterwards. And have new ideas or thoughts or debates that they otherwise would not have had. I really love my show, I love my music and that is because I really care about what I’m singing about, and I hope the audience feel that and then care about these things too. 

Annabel Marlow: is this okay…? will be performed at 8.30pm in Pleasance Courtyard (Attic) from 2nd – 27th August (Not 16th)

Booking link: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/annabel-marlow-okay

Photo credit: Isaac Qureshi

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