EDINBURGH 2023: Rhiannon Shaw Q&A

BWW catches up with Rhiannon Shaw to chat about bringing Wedding Night to the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about Wedding Night.

Wedding Night is an immersive wedding show that blends stand-up with character comedy. I came up with the idea after planning my own wedding (which is happening in September, just after the Fringe). I play myself (obviously) and a range of characters, including the flower girl, the officiant and the mother of the bride. It's very silly and my advice would be to just let it wash over you - like a shower of biodegradable confetti. 

Which characters will we meet in the show?

So many! First, you'll meet me - I'm The Bride. Just like The Bride in Kill Bill, but with fewer combat skills. You'll also meet the French child I adopted, Caroline, who twisted my arm (physically) until I let her be a flower girl. Then the wedding officiant, a Kiwi man called Kyle who, to be honest, is more used to doing funerals. Then, a beloved character of mine who's based on my mum. Her name is Elsie McClutchey and, like my mum, she's from Dumfries and is absolutely thrilled that I'm getting married in a church in Scotland. There definitely won't be any surprise appearances from my incel cousin Cinnamon. No way. 

Where else might we know your work from?

The internet, maybe - or any of the weird and wonderful gigs I've done in London. I've also written for some very cool comedians like Glenn Moore, Rhys James, Ania Magliano, Ian Smith, Alex Kealy and Stuart Laws. 

Who would your ideal audience member be?

A smug, young, almost-married just like me. Or an elderly benefactor who sees my work and decides to fund my creative pursuits for the rest of their days. Either would be good.  

What would you like audiences to take away from the show?

I want them to laugh and also maybe get to know me a little better. I use the show to get to grips with my feelings about weddings and marriage, and there's a bit of a message about the pressures of finding a way to sublimate your identity into a one-day event, but I mainly just want people to come along and think 'Wow. That was a memorable wedding. I'll tell my friends to attend it tomorrow.'

Tickets are available here: 

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