In our ongoing Edinburgh Fringe 2026 interview series, we are speaking to artists and creatives who are bringing their shows to the Scottish capital this summer.
In this interview, we speak with the team behind LANDSFRAU هموطن.
What can you tell me about your show?
How would you describe the style of your show to anyone who has never seen you before?
The piece is auto-fictional and has been developed along my own experiences as a part of the Afghan diaspora. As a performer I try to pour all my skills and soul into this.There are Elements of contemporary and afghan Traditional dances. Live music and songs featuring traditional Instruments and poetry as well as reenactments and stories of real people. The contact with the audience, humor and music are essential parts of this show to avoid slipping into “trauma porn”.
LANDSFRAU هموطن is a solo theatre performance framing 9/11 and the withdrawal of the western troops from Afghanistan 20 years later. Our protagonist Ariana dismantles images of Afghanistan and builds her own counter narrative through a feminist lens. The play is built around the creeping feeling of guilt living a supposedly safe life abroad. It works like an VHS tape that is rewinded, played in fast forward and at times damaged or rewritten. Afghan folk music collides with electronic beats and Attan meets Contemporary dance.
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| Photo by Cornelius Reitmayr |
How would you describe the style of your show to anyone who has never seen you before?
The piece is auto-fictional and has been developed along my own experiences as a part of the Afghan diaspora. As a performer I try to pour all my skills and soul into this.There are Elements of contemporary and afghan Traditional dances. Live music and songs featuring traditional Instruments and poetry as well as reenactments and stories of real people. The contact with the audience, humor and music are essential parts of this show to avoid slipping into “trauma porn”.
What was the lightbulb moment that led to the creation of this piece?
In 2021 we saw the withdrawal of the western troops on TV/our screens, the masses of civilians that wanted to flee Afghanistan and especially the picture of young Afghans that were holding onto the tires of a plane that was taking off. It was a collective retraumatization for my family and friends from Afghanistan and I felt the urge to tell a story about it. Because history is normally written by powerful people and I needed to give a perspective. I wanted to write my own.
What makes 2026 the perfect year for this specific story or performance?
It‘s 25 years after 9/11 and it still affects my generation - this piece gives a narrow idea what's left of this.
It‘s 25 years after 9/11 and it still affects my generation - this piece gives a narrow idea what's left of this.
How will you mentally and physically prepare for a run at the Fringe?
I have to get in my best shape on a physical level to give my best performance. Back when we developed the piece I was working on the dance parts with the choreographer Paul Calderone to find a physical translation to trauma interrupting memories and therefore our narrative as well.
I have to get in my best shape on a physical level to give my best performance. Back when we developed the piece I was working on the dance parts with the choreographer Paul Calderone to find a physical translation to trauma interrupting memories and therefore our narrative as well.
Doris Crea Kollektiv - my friends, collaborators and Partners in Crime and I started rehearsing again. We tried to adjust some things that were originally meant for a German audience and think of an international audience instead.
The translation of our piece from German to English made me re-experience this play on another level that is fun and freeing. The distance in the language gets me out of my head and compresses the show to its essential.
If you couldn’t use a flyer to attract audiences, what ridiculous object would you hand out to people to get them into your show?
There is a part in the show that is tied to a special memory of the taste and smell of tea, so we are handing out tea samples to the audience as a give away instead of regular flyers. Tea is not only a beverage in this case but a bridge to Ariana's memory of home. Having tea means taking a break, coming together, having deep or lighthearted conversations but it also comes with a colonial history that matches the complexities and ambiguities of our show.
There is a part in the show that is tied to a special memory of the taste and smell of tea, so we are handing out tea samples to the audience as a give away instead of regular flyers. Tea is not only a beverage in this case but a bridge to Ariana's memory of home. Having tea means taking a break, coming together, having deep or lighthearted conversations but it also comes with a colonial history that matches the complexities and ambiguities of our show.
Not really ridiculous - I know.
What is the one item in your Fringe Survival Kit that you can’t live without this month?
It’s a Granny thing: my ergonomic pillow from IKEA. Good sleep is essential to stay healthy.
What would you deem as success at the end of the Fringe?
To get international recognition and international touring. I am deeply convinced that it deserves to inspire other people in the worldwide Afghan diaspora or people that connect to the topic of leaving their homes and migrating.
To get international recognition and international touring. I am deeply convinced that it deserves to inspire other people in the worldwide Afghan diaspora or people that connect to the topic of leaving their homes and migrating.
I have a dream of connecting the Afghan Diaspora that is shattered like a puzzle all over the world via theater. I already see the work of AVAH Collective in the field of fine arts doing great work and want to use my storytelling skills to share collaborative stories from within our Community soon. EdFringe 2026 could open the doors to do that in the future.
Other than your own show, are there any other shows you would recommend at the Fringe this year?
It‘s our first time at the Fringe but make sure to check out the other performances that are supported by our bookers AURORA NOVA: https://www.auroranova.org/edinburgh/
It‘s our first time at the Fringe but make sure to check out the other performances that are supported by our bookers AURORA NOVA: https://www.auroranova.org/edinburgh/
The production ‘ALIENS’ by Curious Industries and Dumbworld seems to be very interesting. It always moves me to see real family members on stage and I am excited for this Immigrant-mother- daughter-adventure - I will make sure to see it!
What is one Edinburgh spot that you would recommend people to visit when they're not watching performances?
Whenever I can I try to escape the artificial world of a theatre black box and try to seek what appears to be the contrary: nature. So in a typical German manner I am looking forward to long walks or hikes. Holyrood Park is a start but I want to check out Red Moss Nature Reserve and the Beach of course. “Wanderlust” crossed languages because Germans made walking a personality trait.
Whenever I can I try to escape the artificial world of a theatre black box and try to seek what appears to be the contrary: nature. So in a typical German manner I am looking forward to long walks or hikes. Holyrood Park is a start but I want to check out Red Moss Nature Reserve and the Beach of course. “Wanderlust” crossed languages because Germans made walking a personality trait.
Can you describe the show in 5 words?
Confronting the past, shaping tomorrow.
Confronting the past, shaping tomorrow.
What keeps you inspired?
Being alienated.
Being alienated.
What would you hope someone takes away from seeing the show?
There are many layers to this.
There are many layers to this.
The very obvious is representation. In our aftertalks in Germany there have been several afghans in the audience that heard their language for the first time on the stage of a national theatre and could connect to our Protagonists struggles in the play.
It’s important for us to show a story about Afghanistan that is evolving from a victim narrative to a fight for ambiguity, Justice and responsibility.
Another aspect is raising awareness for a conflict that is ignored in the media if it‘s not serving certain political interests but is repeatedly used to dehumanize refugees as public enemies.
When and where can people see the show?
At Summerhall in Tech Cube 0 zero from the 7th til 31st of August every day 14:50-15:50 (except on the venue dark days 18th & 25th of August.
At Summerhall in Tech Cube 0 zero from the 7th til 31st of August every day 14:50-15:50 (except on the venue dark days 18th & 25th of August.
Tickets are available from https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/landsfrau
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