And All That Jazz by Gillian Gurganus - Edfringe 2025

A half hour of sharp, witty and glamorous comedic storytelling from gorgeous American comedian, Gillian Gurganus – a triple threat who has definitely never been fired from a job! Come on this journey and witness Gillian looking for her big break... in all the wrong places! She might even sing and dance for you, if you're lucky.

Can you give us a sneak peek into your show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe? What can

audiences expect when they come to see your performance?

My show, And All That Jazz, is my half-hour solo show following me, Gillian Gurganus, on my

road to stardom! In this show, I share how determined I am to have my “big break” - even if it

means I’m working at a job that feels so far from fame. Audiences should expect honesty,

humility, and ambition like you’ve never seen!

The Edinburgh Fringe is known for its vibrant and diverse atmosphere. How do you plan to engage with the festival audience and create a memorable experience for them?

Funny enough, a good chunk of my show is about the time I worked as a flyerer for Broadway

shows here in New York! I have a lot of flyering experience under my belt and I’m also a proud extrovert, so I actually really enjoy talking to people and making new connections! I love to call my fans Gillianaires, so I’m excited to see just how many Gillianaires they are across the pond!

As a performer at the Edinburgh Fringe, what are you most excited about? Are there any

specific aspects of the festival that you are looking forward to exploring?

Other than performing my show, (and making my UK debut!) I'm really looking forward to seeing acts and performers that I can’t easily see in New York - I want to see performers that

have me asking myself, “Oh my god, WHY haven’t I heard of them yet?” It’s a huge privilege to be able to perform internationally, much less travel internationally, and I’m going to make the most of it by seeking out performers I’m not aware of yet - wait, I just realized this is the perfect time to use the hashtag for the Fringe this year…I guess you could say I’m going to

#DareToDiscover!

Your show incorporates elements of feminism and women's experiences. Could you share how these themes are woven into the narrative or performance? What inspired you to

explore these particular topics?

I LOVE being a woman. I love how being a woman informs my perspective as a comedian and storyteller, and I’m really glad that my show focuses on my experiences as a woman trying to aim higher and higher for myself. One of my favorite movies of all time is Disney’s Mulan (1998), and being shown that as a child (I can quote it verbatim!) was insanely formative for me. Seeing a young woman not only defy the world’s expectations for her, but seeing her blow herself away with what she’s capable of doing inspires me to do the same. Writing and performing my show, And All That Jazz, has made me so proud of myself - I love how my show explores both the glamorous and gritty elements of being a woman.

Have you encountered any unique challenges or obstacles in the industry? How do you navigate these challenges, and what advice would you give to other women pursuing careers in the arts?

Absolutely - I’m not going to spoil my show of course, but I do talk about a big letdown I had

while working in the theatre industry that was related to how much I weighed! Once I figured

out I wasn’t being given certain opportunities because I was too big, it shifted my entire

perspective - I think you have to realize that some rooms just aren’t going to be for you, but

there are so many rooms ready to see your talent and hard work no matter what size you are. The more I put myself in rooms where my size and weight didn’t matter, the happier I was! You can’t make great art if you’re focused on other people’s expectations of what they think performers have to look like.

What do you hope audiences will take away from your show, especially in terms of the

feminist and women-centric themes? Is there a specific message or emotion you aim to leave them with?

Most of all, I hope that my audiences leave feeling empowered! My goal is for everyone to feel that they have full control over their own story. You aren’t defined by the times you faced

rejection, or that time you were fired from a job that you thought was going to fix all of your

problems! I want people to know that they can make change happen for themselves. You don’t have to wait on anyone else to give you permission, I am a talented and hard-working woman giving you permission right now!

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: 88 Just Up The Stairs at Just the Tonic at The Caves

Dates: 13th - 24th August 2025

Time: 14:25 (30 minutes)

Book Tickets Here