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 Donna Oblongata to learn more about their show The Van Gogh Shogh.
What can you tell me about your show?
The Van Gogh Shogh (pronounced however you think makes sense) is a wild, interactive, highly participatory clown show, where I play Vincent Van Gogh. There are several Van-Gogh-centric shows at this year’s Fringe, but I’m pretty sure this is the only one with 1980s power ballad karaoke. Let’s just say this show is light on biography but big on surprises– including surprises for me, the performer. The audience surprises me pretty much every time.
The Van Gogh Shogh (pronounced however you think makes sense) is a wild, interactive, highly participatory clown show, where I play Vincent Van Gogh. There are several Van-Gogh-centric shows at this year’s Fringe, but I’m pretty sure this is the only one with 1980s power ballad karaoke. Let’s just say this show is light on biography but big on surprises– including surprises for me, the performer. The audience surprises me pretty much every time.
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| Photo by Josh Yoder. |
How would you describe the style of your show to anyone who has never seen you before?
It’s clown. It’s extremely fun—with fun really being the highest goal of anything I make. It’s also safe, though. I feel like that’s important to communicate. Like, I know some clowns like to really mess with the audience, or make people do embarrassing things, or make fun of people. The only person really getting messes with or embarrassed or made fun of here is me, usually. You’ve got to really be giving me a hard time for me to actually punish you. For how wild the show is, people seem to always leave kind of delighted and surprised by how kind I actually am to the audience. It’s a fun trick.
What was the lightbulb moment that led to the creation of this piece?
Most people remember “The Van Gogh Immersive Experience”—that $50 per ticket cash grab where they rented out various warehouses and halls and projected Van Gogh’s paintings, animated by CGI or AI or whatever, and you walked through it and supposedly felt awe or something. The ads were inescapable for a year or two—all over the world. Anyway, one day in the kitchen, we happened to be talking about it (never having been) and my partner just says, “you know what would be the REAL Van Gogh immersive experience? Having everyone tell you that you’re shit and treating you like dirt and then just living isolated in poverty and eventually killing yourself.” That was it. I was like, “Now that’s a funny idea for a show.”
Most people remember “The Van Gogh Immersive Experience”—that $50 per ticket cash grab where they rented out various warehouses and halls and projected Van Gogh’s paintings, animated by CGI or AI or whatever, and you walked through it and supposedly felt awe or something. The ads were inescapable for a year or two—all over the world. Anyway, one day in the kitchen, we happened to be talking about it (never having been) and my partner just says, “you know what would be the REAL Van Gogh immersive experience? Having everyone tell you that you’re shit and treating you like dirt and then just living isolated in poverty and eventually killing yourself.” That was it. I was like, “Now that’s a funny idea for a show.”
What makes 2026 the perfect year for this specific story or performance?
The show is tight, it’s travelled extensively enough to be ready for such a significant platform as the Edinburgh Fringe. It’s real. It’s human. It is FUN, which is something we desperately need right now—fun that is live and messy and human and unpredictable. And who knows? We could all be dead by next year, so I guess that makes this a pretty good year to do it!
The show is tight, it’s travelled extensively enough to be ready for such a significant platform as the Edinburgh Fringe. It’s real. It’s human. It is FUN, which is something we desperately need right now—fun that is live and messy and human and unpredictable. And who knows? We could all be dead by next year, so I guess that makes this a pretty good year to do it!
How will you mentally and physically prepare for a run at the Fringe?
Preparation for a run at The Fringe takes the better part of a year, is the truth. I have an amazing team—a director and two co-producers, and we meet regularly to talk about everything from the perfect poster image to marketing strategies to the food budget for while we’re in Edinburgh. Just knowing that I’ve got so much help (and will once we’re on the ground) is huge.
But there’s also all the preview shows—I’ve got 15 between now and August here in the US, which help get the show taut, and plenty of physical exercise. Yoga, strength training, cardio—all of it, all the time. Prepping for Edinburgh is a full time job, honestly.
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| Photo by Daniel Callaghan |
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?
A canvas covered in wet paint that I’d attempted to paint with Starry Night. You’ll definitely see those around the festival. Spoiler alert.
A canvas covered in wet paint that I’d attempted to paint with Starry Night. You’ll definitely see those around the festival. Spoiler alert.
What is the one item in your Fringe Survival Kit that you can’t live without this month?
Slippers. Gotta have comfy shearling slippers so you can have warm comfy feet without putting on proper shoes.
Slippers. Gotta have comfy shearling slippers so you can have warm comfy feet without putting on proper shoes.
What would you deem as success at the end of the Fringe?
For me, the best thing about Fringe is the connections—with other artists and with venues and curators from around the world. Coming away with people I can collaborate with in the future, new places I can travel to, to perform, that’s the best. That’s all I’m looking for.
For me, the best thing about Fringe is the connections—with other artists and with venues and curators from around the world. Coming away with people I can collaborate with in the future, new places I can travel to, to perform, that’s the best. That’s all I’m looking for.
Other than your own show, are there any other shows you would recommend at the Fringe this year?
So many of my favorite shows from last year are coming back, it seems! Also very excited for “Don’t Kill Daisy” and “Gulp” – two clown shows out of Denver Colorado.
So many of my favorite shows from last year are coming back, it seems! Also very excited for “Don’t Kill Daisy” and “Gulp” – two clown shows out of Denver Colorado.
What is one Edinburgh spot that you would recommend people to visit when they're not watching performances?
This isn’t very innovative, but last year (when I had never been to Edinburgh before) a friend had told me that I had to go to Arthur’s Seat. I put it off for a long time, because I was always so tired (why would I want to do more walking uphill??) but once I did it, it was such a literal breath of fresh air. Felt like a real getaway, without even leaving the city.
This isn’t very innovative, but last year (when I had never been to Edinburgh before) a friend had told me that I had to go to Arthur’s Seat. I put it off for a long time, because I was always so tired (why would I want to do more walking uphill??) but once I did it, it was such a literal breath of fresh air. Felt like a real getaway, without even leaving the city.
Can you describe the show in 5 words?
Sip and paint, karaoke, capitalism.
Sip and paint, karaoke, capitalism.
What keeps you inspired?
God, I wish I knew! I think the feeling that if I stop making art I will probably die or become extremely depressed and feel like I have no purpose! So it’s not so much feeling inspired as just trying to outrun the demons. Ha.
God, I wish I knew! I think the feeling that if I stop making art I will probably die or become extremely depressed and feel like I have no purpose! So it’s not so much feeling inspired as just trying to outrun the demons. Ha.
What would you hope someone takes away from seeing the show?
I want people to be like, “that was fucking hilarious, I had such a good time.” People do say that, but they also say things like “but it was so meaningful” or “I felt like it was totally about my experience as a creative person” or whatever. That’s fine. I’m always happy when people think it’s deep. But really I want people to think it’s funny. Because it is.
I want people to be like, “that was fucking hilarious, I had such a good time.” People do say that, but they also say things like “but it was so meaningful” or “I felt like it was totally about my experience as a creative person” or whatever. That’s fine. I’m always happy when people think it’s deep. But really I want people to think it’s funny. Because it is.
When and where can people see the show?
Assembly Rooms – Front Room. 18:25 (6:25pm) August 6-30. No shows on Wednesdays.
Assembly Rooms – Front Room. 18:25 (6:25pm) August 6-30. No shows on Wednesdays.
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