Name of Edinburgh show: Splash Test Dummies
Venue: Circus Hub
Performance time: 1 pm
Show length: 60min
Ticket price: 12.30 pounds
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your performing background?
I have always been an entertainer from a young age – I use to do the dingle dangle scarecrow dance for people in airports when I was 3 years old and I was always a class clown in school, much to thrill my class mates but not so good for my grades. It wasn’t until my mother bought me a unicycle as a challenge/joke for Christmas one year that I found my love for circus and being a show off. From here I went to NICA (National Institute of Circus Arts) in Melbourne and learnt to hone my circus talents and a place that embraced my comedy.
Now I get to tour the world doing Splash Test Dummies combining my two loves of circus and comedy. Back home I am on national television in a kid’s TV show called Hoopla Doopla which is also screened in China.
Tell me about your new show, what it is all about?
Splash Test Dummies is a show which came about from a joke with friends. At the time we were performing Trash Test Dummies on the Gold Coast in Australia and whenever we went to the beach and do stunts in the water we would joke “we are the Splash Test Dummies”. From there we took on the Australiana culture of Life Guards at the beach and what three goofy life guards would get up to when no one was watching. So there is lots of slapstick antics with pool noodles and swimming caps and then combined with circus skills such as synchronised unicycle swimming and an acrobatic muscle beach.
How long have you been working on this show and what is it that makes it relevant to audiences in 2019?
This show occurred to us pretty naturally out of a joke and from there we would be adding on more jokes and gags to the idea so when we hit the rehearsal room floor we had a lot of material to play with. It took us about a year to refine the show down to its 60minute version as the first time we performed it, it went for 80 minutes!! Which isn’t the usual problem for most shows. Usually you have too little material to begin with.
People love our goofy life guards as it makes fun of authority which strikes an accord with audiences in today’s political climate and then throw in lots of silly slapstick similar to what you might see in an old Charlie Chaplin film or more like human Minions. It’s just a flat out fun and silly show the whole family can enjoy.
Do you have any top tips for surviving the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – both for performers and visitors to the event?
This year I have my parents coming over from Australia for the first time to see the fringe and what I have suggested to them is to make sure to wear good walking shoes as you are going to do a lot of walking, pack a rain coat and at the same time a sun hat as you will get sun burnt at the same time as you are getting rained on. If you want to get anywhere fast avoid the Royal Mile, if you want to see fun street shows go to the Royal Mile. Make sure you also go up Arthurs Seat to see the whole city in one go but don’t do it after a big night out or you might not make it back down.
What has been the funniest or most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you on stage?
One time we were performing in the Australian Circus Festival and we were in the audience pre-show and playing with them when the power went out. We continued to play and have fun with the audience for another 30 minutes until the power went back on and after the show the audience thought it was all part of the act.
Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Yes, we have two pre-show rituals we have a “Splash” before the show where we gather ourselves and all the techs and front of house staff and do a long hand shake that involves us being fish, ducks, singing the jaws music and flying away as seagulls. We also always do our 5-minute ab work out together as tummy stronger = life longer.
What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at Edinburgh Fringe?
Don’t Mess with the Dummies and Children are Stinky, as they are also awesome children’s circus shows from Australia and are good friends of ours. Also I am going to plug my own solo comedy circus show Totally Plucked but this is a show that you want to book a babysitter for it.
Why do you think people should come and see your show over the thousands of others on at the fringe?
You should see Splash Test Dummies over the other shows is because we have been likened to a human form of the minions or Baywatch meets the three stooges. It’s our 5th year doing the Edinburgh fringe and we have a great following and keep being asked by the local audiences to come back year after year. And we also support the hard working local Haggis Farmers by consuming haggis for breakfast, lunch and tea.
Thanks for having Tea With Wilma
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