Overtone - Edinburgh Fringe Interview

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 director John Hoggarth about his show Overtone written by Tom Brennan.

What can you tell me about your show?

I’m directing a new play written by Tom Brennan called Overtone. His play is about two teenagers that meet at a youth choir and then spend their lives together. It’s about love getting older and what that means for how we navigate our relationships. It’s also about reflecting back on your younger self and working out how decisions and events from that part of your life have impacted who you’ve become.

How would you describe the style of your show to anyone who has never seen you before?
It’s a 2-hander new play at the Jack Dome at the Pleasance. It’ll be a meeting of a superb text from Tom, two fantastic actors and an excellent design from David Spence.

What was the lightbulb moment that led to the creation of this piece?
Ria (producer) and I have known Tom for several years and have always admired his work. The North Wall was looking to produce a play specifically by a graduate of its ArtsLab artist development programme, and when Tom shared a first draft of Overtone we both knew we wanted to bring it to Edinburgh. We’ve had past successes here with E8 by Marika Mckennell and Brown Boys Swim by Karim Khan - all graduates of The North Wall’s ArtsLab programme, and we know what a great platform it can be for new writing.

What makes 2026 the perfect year for this specific story or performance?
Tom is a brilliant theatre-maker. He co-founded The Wardrobe Ensemble and moves between directing, writing, devising, performing… This is definitely his year as a writer.

How will you mentally and physically prepare for a run at the Fringe?
I haven’t been to the fringe since 2022 but I used to direct a lot of comedy here, so have done the full festival several times in the past. I’ll just be up for the first week this year so I should be ok!

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 picture of Tom. He looks like a great writer in his headshot.

What is the one item in your Fringe Survival Kit that you can’t live without this month?
Coffee.

What would you deem as success at the end of the Fringe?
Full houses. We want as many people as possible to see Tom’s brilliant play.

Other than your own show, are there any other shows you would recommend at the Fringe this year?
Woodhill by Lung Theatre at Zoo.

What is one Edinburgh spot that you would recommend people to visit when they’re not watching performances?
I’d go for the classic. Arthur’s Seat.

Can you describe the show in 5 words?
Reflective. Emotional. Love getting older.

What keeps you inspired?
Artists who keep going to the Edinburgh Festival. People who keep making shows in spite of how difficult it is becoming.

What would you hope someone takes away from seeing the show?
That we all find different ways to move forward.

When and where can people see the show?
Jack Dome, Pleasance Dome 5-30 August, 14:40

Tickets are available from https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/overtone