Howdy, Playbill! George Strus (they/them), the Founding Artistic Director of Breaking the Binary Theatre, here reporting to you live on my flight home from Scotland for the final article in this series. If you’re new here, Breaking the Binary Theatre took the late, great Cecilia Gentili’s Red Ink to Edinburgh Festival Fringe and have been documenting our journey with Playbill showcasing all we learn as first-time Fringe producers.
In late July, the first article in the series chronicled Cecilia Gentili and Red Ink's history, our producing team, and the Edinburgh casting process. In early August, the second article in the series chronicled venues, budgets, and all we did remotely before heading overseas. In late August, the third article in the series chronicled our first week in Edinburgh.
I’m quite proud of all we accomplished in our first run at Fringe: we were named one of 10 Standout Acts by Vogue; garnered multiple 5-star and 4-star reviews; were featured in The New Yorker; welcomed hundreds of audience members including Rosie O’Donnell and Russell Tovey; and were recognized as one of the Very Best of the 2025 Fringe Fest by FEST Mag.
On top of producing the show, I exceeded my goal and saw 159 shows total in my 27 days at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe (the full list and rundown still lives on my Instagram page @georgestrus under the three highlights labeled with the Scottish flag)! As I documented that journey daily, I received a number of messages throughout the month from producers and artists all over the globe who found these articles insightful and/or helpful, which thrilled me.
As collaborative as the art form is, I find producing can feel a bit isolating at times, almost as if I’m working in a silo to check items off my to-do list and get my project that much closer to the finish line as effectively and efficiently as possible. When I start to feel this way, I take great solace in knowing that when sh*t inevitably hits the fan, there is a network of other producers out there going through similar experiences who are eager to help.
Like many of the producers I met this month, I’m just figuring it out as I go! (Spoiler alert: most producers are.) There are so many different ways one can approach bringing a show to the Edinburgh Fringe and these articles have just documented mine and Red Ink’s journey. That’s why I asked some friends (both old and new) who produced some of my other favorite shows in Edinburgh this year for their top tips for first-time Fringe producers.
Patrick Bone
Fringe show: GISELLE: REMIX
First Fringe!
Advice: “Love the show you’re producing with every fibre of your heart. It’s an intense and relentless month with some pretty tough days. But if you truly love your show, are passionate about it and whole-heartedly believe in it—you’ll overcome the challenges and find so much joy. Oh, and eat some vegetables and touch grass if you can.”
Jasmyn Fisher-Ryner
Fringe Show: Eat the Rich (but maybe not me mates x)
First Fringe!
Advice: “You have to believe in your show 100 percent. People talk about wanting five-star reviews or winning awards, but you need to fully believe in your story and why it’s important—that’s all that matters. Your show team is so important: They are who you will lean on, get support from, and give support to and it’s so important to have the right people around you whilst here at the Fringe. I couldn’t have asked for a better team! Also, talk to other producers, get as much as advice as you can, and ask all the questions you need to ask; producing at the Fringe can feel daunting but you 100 percent have what it takes to produce a show at the Edinburgh Fringe.”
Guido Garcia Lueches
Fringe Show: JEEZUS! & ...Earnest?
Fifth year at Fringe (first year producing solo)
Advice: “Send a million invites to the show before the Festival, then send them again once it starts. Get a PR firm. Most of your plans will go out the window once you arrive in Edinburgh. That's okay, learn to roll with the punches and have a contingency budget.”
Queenie Miller
Fringe Shows: Ada & Bron: The Origin of Love, Amy Mason: Behold!, Bella Hull: Doctors Hate Her, Jack Barry: Let's Get Barried, Joz Norris: You Wait.Time Passes, Marise Gaughan: A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again, and Rohan Sharma: Mad Dog
Third year at Fringe (second year producing independently)
Advice: “Don't sleep. Trust me, it's worth it—don't sleep and then you won't miss anything. And you'll be a joy to hang out with. I'm kidding, the answer is probably friends. Stay (partially) sane, don't stop, find a good crying spot (up the stairs and around the corner outside Assembly Club Bar is perfect. That's yours now).”
Francesca Moody
Fringe Shows: Garry Starr: Classic Penguins, Ohio, and How to Win Against History
20th Year at Fringe (14th Year producing independently)
Advice: “Firstly, I'd make sure that you have been to the Fringe before you bring a show, it's worth soaking up what it really means to produce something in a market where there are 3000-plus other shows vying for attention, and you should get a sense of the geography and the personality of each of the venues, to know where your show(s) might fit best. Secondly, before you come to Edinburgh, be clear about what you want to get out of the Fringe; success should not always be marked by 'I sold my show out every day,' it can also be marked by 'I made connections with these theatres and programmers' or 'we worked out creatively what the show needed in order to develop it further.' Finally, put your show into the smallest venue that you can afford—there really is no better way to make your show feel successful than to sell it out—the Fringe trades on word of mouth and selling out is a sure fire way to build buzz.”
Benjamin Nelson
Fringe Show: Hole!
First Fringe!
Advice: “You can’t see everything. Make time for the Highlands. Eat vegetables. Seek the weird.”
Aaron Pang
Fringe Show: FALLING: A Disabled Love Story
First Fringe!
Advice: “Big Picture: Define your goals, write them down and keep them with you. Fringe will make you want to do everything and reminding yourself what you came to do can be very grounding.
"Middle Picture: Go talk to the artists whose shows you see, there is no other place in the world where amazing artists are just available to talk after their show.
"Small Picture: Bring fiber and drink lots of water, nothing more important than a healthy gut.”
Gen Papadopoulos
Fringe Shows: Furiozo: Man Looking for Trouble; Knight, Knight; Dirty Work; Virtuoso; The Ceremony; and A Series of Poorly Timed Questions
Third year at Fringe
Advice: “Midday naps! And hiring people to help. If you can budget into each show a stage manager—this has helped me ten-fold to have an extra set of hands, especially with multiple shows. As much as we try to be superheroes, we cannot be everywhere all at once.”
Beth Sitek
Fringe Shows: DELIA DELIA! The Flat Chested Witch, HOT GAY SHIT! Cabaret, PHILOSOPHY OF THE WORLD, and DYKE Systems Ltd
Seventh Year at Fringe
Advice: “BACK YOURSELF! Work with your artists to set goals for the month and have a firm idea of what their independent successes look like to them. Surround yourself with people who empower you to ask for support when you need it, don't feel pressured to know all the answers, nobody does. If you need to regroup, go and see a man in a waistcoat do some magic and hypnotise the general public. Believe in your shows and the artists you're supporting with your full puss and you can't go far wrong, your best is always enough."
Rachel Sussman (Producer: Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares)
Fringe Show: Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares
First Fringe!
Advice: “EdFringe absolutely requires a sturdy pair of sneakers; I was regularly walking about about 20,000 steps a day between venues. Also, try to get all of your work emails done in the morning on British Summer Time so you can enjoy some peak Fringe shows in the afternoon while the Americans are just waking up—we are five hours ahead, after all!"
In short, I find the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to be the most magical place on earth (sorry, Mickey Mouse!). You engage with an overwhelming amount of dynamic art from all over the world and meet so many wonderful people along the way. It’s incredibly inspiring. I know taking a show to Edinburgh Fringe can look quite daunting, but it’s something I think every artist and theatremaker should consider at some point in their lives. If you do decide to go on this unforgettable journey, I'm signing off with one last tip from me: “YOU CAN DO IT!!!” See you at the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. 😉
