Tell us about your show and what stage you're at in your plans for Fringe 2025

Shoe Dunnit is a Rock Musical set in real time in a coffee shop in one single hour.

We see a number of intertwined stories combining comedy with drama. It includes stories such as Julia who is campaigning against having funding cut for her performing arts school by the local authority in favour of students getting extra maths lessons. Steve, who's brought up his neuro-divergent daughter alone, is horrified to learn that the wife who abandoned them is turning up to Café L'Arte to meet them. Just before she arrives he puts on a pantomime horse's head in avoidance whilst reluctantly watching their meeting. We have Robby, the employee determined to find who stole her shoes and is suspecting everyone.

We have been rehearsing the 11 new songs since late 2024 and are preparing to record the soundtrack. Acting rehearsals are starting next week. We'll be holding local performances in May and June.

Shoe Dunnit is brand new writing and a follow up to Café L'Arté that we brought to the Fringe in 2023. I had my shoe’s stolen in France on a road trip following our Edfringe run and based this new story on that true event.

Tell us about your budget and how this funding will help

With a cast and crew of 10 our biggest financial hurdle is accomodation. We seek to find the best value accomodation to keep costs low which, previously, involved renting 40 minutes out of town as we intend to do again.

Of course other expenses include, travel, food, printing of leaflets and design services.

We will also be recording the soundtrack album wich again we are seeking to keep costs to a minimum whilst achieving professional results.

I truly believe in this show and the opportunity it presents to my cast to showcase their exceptional talent and the passion and excitement of myself and my team to get this show to the Edinburgh Fringe is great, but our budget isn't. Finances are a source of concern. Were we to receive the Keep it Fringe funding it would more than help make this show the best that we can and would most certainly reduce the anxiety of having the financial resources to make it happen.

Tell us what you hope to achieve in Fringe 2025 and your ambitions for your show

My team and I believe in Shoe Dunnit as a story, and the strength of the songs, which span tear inducing ballads, hilarious songs, a 'performing arts must not be silenced' anthem, a classic rock number, and a 'get all the cast and audience up and joining in' finale. 

This show is about how life can be changed through song and performance (In Shoe Dunnit Emily heals customers life issues through song). This isn't a theory but something that has happened to me. The show 'Tomorrow Maybe' at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2016 had a profound effect and influence on me as a writer and in turn I believe Shoe Dunnit will do the same for others. 

This effect can only be achieved by taking a show to the stage and in Edinburgh we will do this whilst giving a predominantly young cast a showcase for their talent now and to keep going onwards and upwards. 

We intend to then take Shoe Dunnit to London to 'The Other Palace - Studio' following in the footsteps of the brilliant former Edfringe Show 'We’ll Have Nun Of It'. We will then aim to build from there to bigger and greater things.