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 Olivia Raine Atwood about her show Oops.
What can you tell me about your show?
I'm a professional matchmaker, and I accidentally set up my college boyfriend with a girl who bullied me in high school. Sorta like if Ron set up Hermione with Malfoy. Or if Romeo set up Juliet, with someone who bullied Romeo. You know. Like that. My genuine 9-5 full time job is as a matchmaker, so if you come to the show, anything could happen. You might meet your soulmate. Or just see a funny show. You could find a life partner or giggle for an hour. Both equally powerful results.
How would you describe the style of your show to anyone who has never seen you before?
I am a physical comic and comedic storyteller! My inspirations include Carol Burnett and Alex Edelman; I tend to tell David Sedaris style stories with a dash of Lucille Ball. I'm not a stand-up so much as a storyteller who will make you laugh while I race around the stage, tossing my body on the ground and jumping back up again like a human yo-yo.
What was the lightbulb moment that led to the creation of this piece?
On one particular morning, two events absolutely collided. I was in my bed, alone, sad because my boyfriend wasn't home with me, again, and had been away for weeks, and it felt very much like my 6 year relationship was ending, at the very same time as my ex called me to let me know he was engaged. It was like two trains colliding into each other at the very worst time. I called so many people on the phone to tell them what was happening - me, lying in bed, hungover, depressed because I felt like I was going to be single very soon, my ex calling me with the happy news that he was engaged - and I was getting more and more dramatic with each retelling until it became very clear that a show was being born.
What makes 2026 the perfect year for this specific story or performance?
2026 is obviously the year for love. If you're reading this and you're single, you're gonna find love this year. Yes, you. I'm talking directly to you! And you might even find it at Oops at Gilded Balloon in August. As a completely unrelated side note. In a world where everyone is craving love and connection and swiping endlessly to find it, my show brings new ways to find romance to the surface.
How will you mentally and physically prepare for a run at the Fringe?
My show is rather athletic. When I do it, I burn like a zillion calories. So the most important thing I can do to prep is to exercise like a wild animal and prepare my body to jump, skip, jog, and throw itself to the ground with reckless abandon 24 times in a row. I might need to invest in kneepads. Mentally, I like to listen to Sweet Victory from Spongebob before I go on stage, and do the drum solo with invisible drumsticks. It gets me in a properly goofy headspace, which is exactly what I want when I step on stage.
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 daily desk calendar where every single day is a chosen entry from my elementary school journals. Maybe today you'll get a detailed entry of how I'm going to meet my soulmate. Maybe tomorrow you'll hear how Emma C. bested me in 5th grade mathematics. Maybe the next day, you'll see a detailed recipe for chocolate chip cookies that just says, "Make cookies. Bake. Eat." This is the kind of daily wisdom we need, people.
What is the one item in your Fringe Survival Kit that you can’t live without at the Fringe?
SNEAKERS. Without sneakers, I will melt into a puddle on the ground. Forget heels. Forget boots. Forget sandals. Catch me every single day of the Fringe wearing old woman nursing home sneakers for optimal comfort. Style is not the name of the game here, fam. Sneakers for life.
What would you deem as success at the end of the Fringe?
I want to get on the plane after Fringe feeling like somewhere, in a random household in Europe, someone is quoting my show to their husband or wife or kid or dog. That's success to me - if I make you laugh, and you repeat something I said, to someone else, I can fly home happy.
Other than your own show, are there any other shows you would recommend at the Fringe this year?
Fringe is the BEST place to see new work! My top recommendations are Max Davidson: Strangers - the craziest magic show you ever did see, at Just the Tonic Subway 17:50. I also can not recommend Couplet: Folk Marry Kill enough - by two superstar singers and musical comedy geniuses Marnina and Micah, at Assembly George Square Studios, 16:35.
I'm a professional matchmaker, and I accidentally set up my college boyfriend with a girl who bullied me in high school. Sorta like if Ron set up Hermione with Malfoy. Or if Romeo set up Juliet, with someone who bullied Romeo. You know. Like that. My genuine 9-5 full time job is as a matchmaker, so if you come to the show, anything could happen. You might meet your soulmate. Or just see a funny show. You could find a life partner or giggle for an hour. Both equally powerful results.
How would you describe the style of your show to anyone who has never seen you before?
I am a physical comic and comedic storyteller! My inspirations include Carol Burnett and Alex Edelman; I tend to tell David Sedaris style stories with a dash of Lucille Ball. I'm not a stand-up so much as a storyteller who will make you laugh while I race around the stage, tossing my body on the ground and jumping back up again like a human yo-yo.
What was the lightbulb moment that led to the creation of this piece?
On one particular morning, two events absolutely collided. I was in my bed, alone, sad because my boyfriend wasn't home with me, again, and had been away for weeks, and it felt very much like my 6 year relationship was ending, at the very same time as my ex called me to let me know he was engaged. It was like two trains colliding into each other at the very worst time. I called so many people on the phone to tell them what was happening - me, lying in bed, hungover, depressed because I felt like I was going to be single very soon, my ex calling me with the happy news that he was engaged - and I was getting more and more dramatic with each retelling until it became very clear that a show was being born.
What makes 2026 the perfect year for this specific story or performance?
2026 is obviously the year for love. If you're reading this and you're single, you're gonna find love this year. Yes, you. I'm talking directly to you! And you might even find it at Oops at Gilded Balloon in August. As a completely unrelated side note. In a world where everyone is craving love and connection and swiping endlessly to find it, my show brings new ways to find romance to the surface.
How will you mentally and physically prepare for a run at the Fringe?
My show is rather athletic. When I do it, I burn like a zillion calories. So the most important thing I can do to prep is to exercise like a wild animal and prepare my body to jump, skip, jog, and throw itself to the ground with reckless abandon 24 times in a row. I might need to invest in kneepads. Mentally, I like to listen to Sweet Victory from Spongebob before I go on stage, and do the drum solo with invisible drumsticks. It gets me in a properly goofy headspace, which is exactly what I want when I step on stage.
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 daily desk calendar where every single day is a chosen entry from my elementary school journals. Maybe today you'll get a detailed entry of how I'm going to meet my soulmate. Maybe tomorrow you'll hear how Emma C. bested me in 5th grade mathematics. Maybe the next day, you'll see a detailed recipe for chocolate chip cookies that just says, "Make cookies. Bake. Eat." This is the kind of daily wisdom we need, people.
What is the one item in your Fringe Survival Kit that you can’t live without at the Fringe?
SNEAKERS. Without sneakers, I will melt into a puddle on the ground. Forget heels. Forget boots. Forget sandals. Catch me every single day of the Fringe wearing old woman nursing home sneakers for optimal comfort. Style is not the name of the game here, fam. Sneakers for life.
What would you deem as success at the end of the Fringe?
I want to get on the plane after Fringe feeling like somewhere, in a random household in Europe, someone is quoting my show to their husband or wife or kid or dog. That's success to me - if I make you laugh, and you repeat something I said, to someone else, I can fly home happy.
Other than your own show, are there any other shows you would recommend at the Fringe this year?
Fringe is the BEST place to see new work! My top recommendations are Max Davidson: Strangers - the craziest magic show you ever did see, at Just the Tonic Subway 17:50. I also can not recommend Couplet: Folk Marry Kill enough - by two superstar singers and musical comedy geniuses Marnina and Micah, at Assembly George Square Studios, 16:35.
What is one Edinburgh spot that you would recommend people to visit when they're not watching performances?
LET ME EAT is my favorite place in all of Edinburgh. When I tell you I eat there every single day for dinner for an entire month, I genuinely mean it. They are the nicest people and it's the best food. My month would not be complete without the soup, salad, wraps and ESPECIALLY my daily brownie cookie from Let Me Eat.
Can you describe the show in 5 words?
Zany, electric, physical, Williamsburg Bridge.
LET ME EAT is my favorite place in all of Edinburgh. When I tell you I eat there every single day for dinner for an entire month, I genuinely mean it. They are the nicest people and it's the best food. My month would not be complete without the soup, salad, wraps and ESPECIALLY my daily brownie cookie from Let Me Eat.
Can you describe the show in 5 words?
Zany, electric, physical, Williamsburg Bridge.
What keeps you inspired?
I love reading comedic memoirs by my ladies, or watching Mike Birbiglia. If I feel like I'm in a rut, I read Jessi Klein's You'll Grow Out Of It, Rachel Dratch's Girl Walks Into a Bar, or pop on Birbiglia's The New One.
What would you hope someone takes away from seeing the show?
I hope people walk out of there feeling like anything is possible for them, and like their soulmate could be just around the corner. I also hope people are aware of how best to prepare for running across bridges.
When and where can people see the show?
I am every day in August, 5-31, except the 18th, at Gilded Balloon, Teviot, Billiard Room, 14:30. I am also every day in August, 5-31 except the 18th, flyering outside of Gilded Balloon, Teviot, screaming loudly in the streets about my show. So you can catch the actual show, or the pre-show, where I will be dancing and begging and twirling for two hours outside, rain or shine.
Tickets for Olivia Raine Atwood: Oops are available from https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/olivia-raine-atwood-oops
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