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 Racists, Recessions and Revolutions.
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| Photo by Daragh Drake |
What can you tell me about your show?
Racists, Recessions & Revolutions is all about the birth and explosive growth of fake news, how it took over the online world thanks to teens in a small former Yugoslavian country NO ONE can find on a map (Macedonia 🇲🇰) and how social media helped it become the terrifying force behind Brexit, Trump and the rise of the far right. It’s also very funny!
How would you describe the style of your show to anyone who has never seen you before?
A 60 minute masterclass with the worst person in the world; our protagonist Nadica is the puppetmaster behind some of the worst fake news headlines the world has ever seen, her professional lies coming close to toppling whole governments. She has you as her captive audience for the hour and she’s not letting anyone go until they recognsise her for what she truly is, although by the end of the performance she may not like what that turns out to be…
What was the lightbulb moment that led to the creation of this piece?
From the first Isabella Heaver, the performer and co-creator of the show, wanted the script to incorporate Macedonia. Izzy herself is half-Macedonian and despite the country laying claim to one of the richest cultures and history in Europe she’s keenly aware that no one knows much about it at all.
That’s how we came across the 2016 Macedonian Fake News Gold Rush, this historical massive wave of fake news that influenced politics around the world, pushed by happy go lucky teens in this unknown country. Plenty of articles online condemn them from the outside, but their side of the story remains largely untold and ties into so many contemporary issues. We realised this could become the core of a play about big current topics we wanted to stage, and it all flowed from there.
What makes 2026 the perfect year for this specific story or performance?
It’s been ten years this very summer since that Fake News Gold Rush. Now looking back we can see that what appeared to be just a suspect hustle at the time was in fact the first in a series of dominos that broke most of our media and politics across the board, perhaps irreparably. We still struggle in the aftermath, and we’ll only really figure out how to break out of this mess by understanding how we got here and why everything started the way it did. That’s one of the strongest takeways we want to give audiences.
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| Photo by Daragh Drake |
How will you mentally and physically prepare for a run at the Fringe?
I never prepare as well as I should! Been hoping for a Faustian bargain with the Devil to pop up and let me arrive up Day 1 well-rested, free of all stress and most tickets sold in advance but then I suppose this never having happened is for the best; how else would we have fun once we’re up there?
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?
Outrageously accurate fake news tailored for each passerby; imagine someone shoving a photo of your Gran winning the World Cup as you walked past, cobbled together by AI that’s targeted your Instagram account or something, you’d pay lock in for that right? It’d be good for both the absurd comedy as well as just how horrifying modern tech can be (big part of the show).
What is the one item in your Fringe Survival Kit that you can’t live without this month?
The superhuman humility to say no to more pints and yes to an early bed.
What would you deem as success at the end of the Fringe?
Majority of organs surviving in one piece.
Other than your own show, are there any other shows you would recommend at the Fringe this year?
15 Minutes Of Shame is a brand new play also on at ZOO Playground like us and centres on some super engaging topics AND can boast an amazing writer and director behind it so can’t wait to go and see!
What is one Edinburgh spot that you would recommend people to visit when they’re not watching performances?
Calton Hill, so much easier to summit than Arthur’s Seat and the view is at least 70% as good.
Can you describe the show in 5 words?
Truest Fake News Story Ever
What keeps you inspired?
The shows I see at Fringe every year, plays like Clean Slate or Ascension last year opened my eyes to new, super practical ways of making brilliant theatre.
What would you hope someone takes away from seeing the show?
That honest human interaction is the only way any of us are getting out of this alive.
When and where can people see the show?
We’re gonna be on at ZOO Playground 3 from 7th – 30th August (excluding Wednesdays 12th, 19th, 26th) at 15:55pm, a big full run at the Fringe so you have no excuses. We look forward to welcoming people then!
Tickets are available from https://tickets.zoofestival.co.uk/event/124:1962/
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| Photo by Daragh Drake. |
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