Defining Success at the Edinburgh Fringe
- What the Fringe?!
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
S2 E15 of What the Fringe?!
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival has long been known as a launching pad for bold and boundary-pushing theater. For Xhloe Rice and Natasha Rowland, a New York–based duo creating absurdist clown physical theater, the journey to Fringe began with little more than a duffel bag of props and a desire to share their work with a wider audience. What they discovered in Edinburgh not only transformed their careers but also reshaped their understanding of what success at Fringe really means.
Since WTF's first introduction to Xhloe and Natasha in 2024, via our World Fringe Day episode, the duo has experienced exponential growth. A total of three Scotsman Fringe First Awards, a recent appearance on Netflix is a Joke, a Drama Desk Award (WFT?!), and commissions in their hometown of New York City. This year, they are bringing a new show to Edinburgh Fringe, and everyone is talking about it: "Bigfoot Ripped My Dog In Half I Saw It" (you gotta love their long titles!).
Before Edinburgh, Xhloe and Natasha spent years producing work in New York, where the competitive theater scene made it difficult to get noticed. Despite strong support from friends, they struggled to attract reviewers or industry professionals. They figured, why not try Edinburgh Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world?
Their first year was a leap of faith. They had never produced outside of New York, never worked at a festival, and had never even been to Scotland. Yet, against the odds, their debut show was reviewed by The Scotsman and went on to win the prestigious Fringe First Award. Almost overnight, their remaining shows sold out, and the recognition opened doors across the UK and beyond.
Their story offers a few key lessons for artists considering Edinburgh Fringe:
Define Success Before You Arrive at Edinburgh Fringe
Many newcomers dream of selling out shows or landing a Netflix deal, but Xhloe and Natasha stress the importance of setting realistic goals. The festival is full of brilliant performances, but also politics and hierarchies. Whether the aim is to gain reviews, build touring opportunities, or simply prove to yourself that you can take a show overseas, clarity makes the experience more rewarding.
Believe In Your Work
Xhloe and Natasha had no expectations of winning an award during their debut year at Edinburgh, but they believed in their work. That first year, the two put in the long hours of emailing and pitching to get reviewers in the door, and it paid off beyond their wildest dreams.
Be Prepared To Do It Yourself
From marketing to press outreach to flyering, Fringe requires relentless effort. Resources and advice are available, but the responsibility ultimately rests with the artist. As Xhloe and Natasha put it, “the good news is you can do it yourself, the bad news is you have to.”
Trust In Collaboration
The pair’s partnership has been central to their success. Xhloe and Natasha have been working together since they were teens, and have learned to trust each other and the process. Trusting creative partners, even when visions differ, often leads to the best artistic outcomes.
Perhaps most striking is their honesty about what comes after Fringe. In Scotland, they may be stopped for photos and asked for autographs, but back in New York, it is still a grind. Success at Fringe does not erase the challenges of building a career—it amplifies opportunities, but the hard work continues.
For Xhloe and Natasha, success has meant finding an audience that resonates with their work and building connections that sustain them year after year. For others, success may look different. What unites every Fringe artist, though, is the courage to take the leap.
This blog post was inspired by S2 E7 of the What the Fringe?! podcast, and was written utilizing AI technology, in conjunction with human oversight and editing.
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