Ryan Stewart: Kinder - 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 Ryan Stewart, producer of Kinder.

Photo by Ejay Freeman.

What can you tell me about your show?

KINDER follows newly arrived drag clown Goody Prostate, who is set to make their big debut tonight headlining a Drag Reading Hour. A call from a local library quickly derails these plans however when it is revealed they have grossly misinterpreted the nature of this event, and as they race against the clock to scramble together a new act in real time, they spiral into a chaotic interrogation of childhood, memory, stories, and a long overdue examination of what it means to grow up.

How would you describe the style of your show to anyone who has never seen you before?

A sexy little cocktail of theatre, drag, clowning, and storytelling. Like if the show was a Long Island Iced Tea, each genre is a different spirit, and Goody is that little dash of cola they put in at the end to try and sweeten it up. Except the cola they've decided to use is some real bottom of the shelf no-brand-named stuff. 

What was the lightbulb moment that led to the creation of this piece?

A couple of years ago, my best friend and I were yapping one night about what our drag names could be, when Goody Prostate was lobbed my way and just sort of stuck. An evening not long later, I was drinking a wine (maybe alone?) and thinking more seriously about what this drag character could look like, and what sort of gigs they might do, considering things like drag storytime reading hours at local libraries, which have been somewhat of a hot topic. Within that context, I wandered about what the ramifications would be over a drag artist misinterpreting what a 'reading hour' is (given the doubled understanding of 'reading' in queer parlance) and what would unfold if that ever happened, and KINDER was kind of born.

What makes 2026 the perfect year for this specific story or performance?

When I first began creating the show in 2024, I thought the overarching queer moral panic themes were as prescient as they could be in this day and age, but 2025 and now 2026 decided to happen the way certain people allowed it to happen, and it's even worse. Being on this side of the world as well, some of that panic is even more pronounced, and you sometimes feel that tension within some audiences. But people keep resonating with it, so we're going to keep doing it. 

How will you mentally and physically prepare for a run at the Fringe?

Last year I made the rather silly choice to traverse much of my commute to my venue each day in platform crocs, and much of this commute was via cobblestones and stairs. So I am not doing that again this year, and to be honest that's probably been the extent of my mental and physical preparation. I'm also staying near the meadows this year so am relying on my ability to touch grass to get me through a lot.  

Photo by Ejay Freeman.

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?

Well as luck would have it, I have actually already invested in a ridiculous mounted-banner-backpack contraption thing for flyering this year, so unfortunately this hypothetical has become very real very quickly. I'm also thinking I might lure people in with pretzels, so if you like pretzels come find me running around Cowgate. 

What is the one item in your Fringe Survival Kit that you can’t live without at the Fringe?

Ginger shots hands down.

What would you deem as success at the end of the Fringe?

Are you alive? Congratulations! You're a Fringe success.

Other than your own show, are there any other shows you would recommend at the Fringe this year?

Absolutely - I may be a little biased, but given how much we're investing just to get over here, Australians truly have some of the most polished acts and shows. Eva Seymour is making her debut this year with her award-winning show The Understudy (Assembly, 12.15pm), Edinburgh mainstay Skank Sinatra is returning with her new cabaret How to Succeed in Show Business Without Really Trying (Assembly, 6.30pm), and the absolute powerhouse Sophie Power is back again with CVNT (Assembly, 8.20pm).

What is one Edinburgh spot that you would recommend people to visit when they're not watching performances?

If the body can take it, you just can't go wrong with Arthur's Seat. For the mind, PortaLibri down in Portobello.

Can you describe the show in 5 words?

Uhoh we really messed up.

What keeps you inspired?

Honestly, other Fringe artists - we've been doing the Fringe circuit for some years now, and you move in and out of the orbits of a lot of other artists doing the same. Seeing them continue to power on with their respective shows, and honing their craft, especially in the face of increasingly precarious economic situations and political hostility towards artists' voices, is really quite motivating. 

What would you hope someone takes away from seeing the show?

I hope that folks go away with a renewed sense of openness to ideas and stories they’re not used to thinking about. That’s a lot to ask of someone taking a chance on a random 60-minute show tucked away under an old bridge though, so as long as we've had a laugh together at some point by the end, let's see where that shared experience takes us.

When and where can people see the show?

Underbelly Cowgate, Big Belly, 2pm, every day of the festival! (except the 18th and 25th because Goody needs to rest their (now) 30-year-old knees).

Tickets are available from https://underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/event/kinder-26

Photo by Ejay Freeman.