Spin Cycle, the Lesbian Laundrette Play - 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 Zofia Zerphy about her show Spin Cycle, the Lesbian Laundrette Play.

Photo by Bethan Rose.

What can you tell me about your show?
Spin Cycle: The Lesbian Laundrette Play is an OFFIE Award-winning sapphic story about the space between loving someone and not, between forgetting and remembering, between dirty and clean clothes. It's a bittersweet, absurdist play that explores how love can shape us, even when we can't quite remember how… or when… or why.

How would you describe the style of your show to anyone who has never seen you before?
Spin Cycle combines the surreal melancholy of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind with the kitchen-sink drama (and lesbians) of The L Word. Step inside a neon-lit launderette where the machines whirr, the smell of washing hangs in the air, and memories tumble around as much as the clothes. But be warned, this is no ordinary laundrette. Here, your mind will spin just as much as your laundry.

What was the lightbulb moment that led to the creation of this piece?
Growing up, my English teacher used to give us photo prompts and ask us to free-write stories inspired by them. Years later, late one night, or possibly very early in the morning, I found myself staring at a Schuh advert on an Underground platform, set in a retro laundrette. A story started to spin in my head, inspired by the liminal nature of laundrettes and the cyclical patterns of both laundry and relationships.
Had I been looking at a Jet2holidays advert instead, the play might have been set on a plane and all about life's ups and downs.

What makes 2026 the perfect year for this specific story or performance?
At a time when LGBTQ+ rights are increasingly under attack, it feels more important than ever to tell queer stories and to remind people that we're not going anywhere. Spin Cycle centres queer and gender non-conforming characters and is created by artists whose lived experiences have shaped the work.
Sharing these stories allows audiences to encounter identities and experiences they may not have seen represented before, fostering empathy, understanding and connection.

When I shared the first draft, someone asked whether Noel "needed to be non-binary". The answer was no, but they are. I'm grateful I trusted that instinct, because meaningful representation isn't about ticking boxes; it's about creating characters who feel authentic. That's how I hope to connect with audiences as a writer.

How will you mentally and physically prepare for a run at the Fringe?
Physically, we're following a strict regime of endurance training, strength work and flexibility exercises. Mentally, we meditate and manifest every hour on the hour.

Just kidding.

Like most working creatives, our preparation looks less like elite athletes and more like riding a unicycle while juggling flaming batons.

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 tide pod in the lesbian flag colours. Please do not eat it. Seriously.

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

What would you deem as success at the end of the Fringe?
Making it through the whole festival alive would be a good start. Beyond that, we'd love to know that audiences connected with the show and that we found a few new people willing to let us emotionally devastate them in a laundrette.

Other than your own show, are there any other shows you would recommend at the Fringe this year?
We're very excited to see Voloz Collective's new conspiracy comedy Reacted. One of the first tickets we bought was for Big Foot Ripped My Dog in Half And I Saw It, which feels very Edinburgh Fringe. We'd also love to catch Trans People Are Awful, although it unfortunately starts just after our own show. Hopefully we'll catch it when it inevitably enjoys a long life beyond the Fringe.

What is one Edinburgh spot that you would recommend people to visit when they’re not watching performances?
Planet Bar! It’s Edinburgh’s longest running LGBTQ+ bar, and, of course, shares a name with the lesbian bar in The L Word.

Can you describe the show in 5 words?
Sapphic. Messy. Funny. Heartbreaking. Unforgettable.

What keeps you inspired?
The artists I get to work with. It sounds cliché, but being surrounded by other people's creativity constantly reignites my own. Running a company and producing means spending a lot of time buried in admin, so getting back into a rehearsal room with my incredible team always reminds me why we make art in the first place.

Seeing new plays and reading new writing has the same effect. There's so much brilliant art in the world, and whenever I get to contribute to it, or simply witness it, I'm reminded why I love doing this.

What would you hope someone takes away from seeing the show?
A friend brought their first date to Spin Cycle last year, and they're now celebrating their first anniversary together. So I suppose the best thing you could take away from the show is a girlfriend.

When and where can people see the show?
Clover Bristo Square, Underbelly. Aug 05-31 at 14:25.

Tickets are available from https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/spin-cycle

Photo by Bethan Rose.