In our ongoing Edinburgh Fringe interview series, we are speaking to artists and creatives who are bringing their shows to the Scottish capital this summer.
In this interview, Emma Zetterberg discusses their show Of Fire and Flame.
What can you tell me in your words about your show?
On its face, Of Fire and Flame is a parody of fantasy and fantasy romance novels, but it's also about endometriosis, friendship, and who/what we rely on to get us through our most challenging moments. It follows the story of Anne--a woman whose life is upended when a series of painful symptoms make her day-to-day life unlivable. However, it also follows Anniothe--Anne's version of herself in her fantasy daydreams where she is kidnapped by the brooding and handsome Dragomir.
Where did the inspiration for this piece come from?
OFAF was inspired by my own endo diagnosis. Five years ago I was teaching elementary school art and grammar, and began experiencing a myriad of painful symptoms revolving around reproductive health. I picked up a fantasy romance book on a whim (A Court of Thorns and Roses) and found a new guilty pleasure. However, it became far more than that--as days to my surgery were counting down, I found the only way to stay sane and escape from my anxiety and pain was by reading these books.
How have you approached developing the show?
Lily and I have been best friends since we were fifteen years old, and I've always admired what an incredibly talented comedic performer she is. I knew from the beginning that I had to write something that would allow her to play to her strengths--playing multiple zany characters, plenty of jokes, and room for some physical comedy. The subject matter came to me when I realized that fantasy romance is an enormously popular genre (over 30 million copies sold in 2024) and endometriosis is also very prevalent (1 in 10 people with the female reproductive system) have it, and yet we haven't seen much of either represented in media. So often both endometriosis and fantasy romance are dismissed--the former because of sexism and the idea that somehow women's pain is "natural" and the latter because it's a genre that often gets smutty and is read by a predominantly female audience. I wanted to show how both of these things can have such a huge impact on a person's life--escapism doesn't change our reality, but sometimes we need a bit of it to get by.
How would you describe the style of the show?
Of Fire and Flame is predominantly a comedy that takes sharp turns from a fantasy world called Callythia where fae and mortals live among each other and present day New Jersey. It oscillates from comedy to drama quickly and at times slides into caricature. In essence, it captures the mental state of someone who is a bit delirious with the state of their reality.
Can you describe the show in 3 words?
Hilarious, horny, and heartfelt.
Can you tell me an interesting fact about the show?
Of Fire and Flame follows Anne's journey of getting diagnosed with Endometriosis. If you come to see this show you'll see this occur within our 60 minute run time, however, in the real world, the average diagnosis time is 7-10 years from the onset of symptoms
How do you mentally and physically prepare for a run like the Fringe?
By underpreparing haha! I think you just have to adopt a mindset of rolling with the punches and creating a sustainable goal--rather than trying to sell a certain number of tickets every day, our goal has been to get the word out to the audience we think would most enjoy it. So far our favorite audience has been one of our smallest, but they were all fans of the genre so all the jokes hit home.
Away from your show, what are you most looking forward to about being in Edinburgh?
My wallet will hate me, but honestly I have been loving the food up here. It's food truck and cafes galore and that's my favorite way to go.
What is one hidden gem in Edinburgh that everyone should visit?
Singapore Coffee House! It's SO good. Get the Kaya toast.
Are there any other shows at the Fringe you’d like to recommend?
I haven't been able to see a lot of shows yet but I'm very excited for Jessica Toltzis's Edie.
What was the first piece of theatre you saw which had a big impact on you?
I remember seeing an adaptation of Jason and the Argonauts at my local theatre in Princeton, New Jersey. I loved reading Greek Mythology as a kid, so seeing it come to life was awe-inspiring. There was one moment where Medea's dress changed from white to red and that sparked my curiosity for how "theatre magic" can be created on stage.
What do you hope an audience member takes away from seeing the show?
Firstly, we hope they laugh a lot. This is truly a joyful show and is unashamedly girly. We also a lot of people come away from it feeling understood--whether it's because they have endo or a similar condition or for their favorite books.
Where and when can people see your show?
Of Fire and Flame is playing from Aug 1-24 at 12:20pm at Gilded Balloon Patter House - Blether.
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