ED FRINGE 2023 INTERVIEW | Mace Cowart, LINO
In preparation for the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Emmie chats with Mace Cowart about LINO. LINO is a trans, multimedia solo show with church youth group lesbians, martinis, clubs, and historically relevant convicted falons!
1. Let's begin by pitching your show at the Ed Fringe, tell us about it?
The Church Youth Group Lesbians, Martinis, Historically Relevant Convicted Felons. All in One Experiment. It’s LINO.
2. Where did you draw your influences from for this piece?
Have you ever seen someone that made time stop? Everything just freezes and it's just you and this stranger…a stranger I’d come to know as Lino from Vienna. I was with Lino for three days in Tel Aviv taking dance classes, talking on the beach, and exploring the city. Somehow in those three days I fell So. Deeply. In love…or maybe it was just admiration…maybe I just wanted to BE them. How much can you know about a person in three days? Not enough to truly know them, but enough to write a play inspired by them. Lino is my muse. They inspire me and have the best smile in the world. I also pull inspiration from playwright Jen Silverman and Netflix’s shows “Black Mirror” and “Feel Good”.
3. What are the challenges of bringing a piece to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
Bringing a show as a first time Fringer independent artist fresh out of college has been challenging. But I sense that no one gets off easy at the Fringe, even returning artists. Beyond the obvious challenges of money and resources, it's hard remembering that everyone here is just trying to share their damn show because we LOVE it. It can be very cutthroat, sink or swim, eat or get eaten. But c'mon, let's zoom out here. We are a bunch of artists from around the world all gathered in one city to share art. I have to actively work to remember the reason why I wanted to go to the Fringe in the first place. (pst, that reason was not ‘to get soooo many 5 star reviews and be super famous and sell out and be rich’)
4. What can audiences expect from your show?
The live action results of a BFA in Theatre with an emphasis in acting. Also, me. Just me. Talking with recordings of me. Acting off of me. I will be onstage or offstage, but no one else will enter but me. Expect me. Expect a fast and furious 40 minutes. Expect to laugh then cry then say, “Did they just do a little one handed cartwheel over that chair?! That’s soooo cool”
5. What are you most looking forward to during your time in Edinburgh for the festival?
Learning how to talk like a European. The lads with When It Rains helped me out the other night. And their show sounds sick…I mean bloody brilliant…I love meeting other artists and look forward to learning about people beyond their show pitch.
6. What are the main things within your piece?
Me. I’m the only person in this show. So if you don’t like my face I don’t advise coming because you’ll have to look at it for a whole 40 minutes. Also, if you are not familiar with who John Wilkes Booth is, he assassinated President Abraham Lincoln and also was an actor. Okay NOW you’re ready to see LINO.
7. Where can people come and see your show?
Greenside on Infirmary Street’s Ivy Studio at 20:45. 40 minute run time. August 4-19th (off on the 13th)
