Edinburgh Fringe Chats (#44): Beth May, BETH WANTS THE D

1 Jul

Conducted by Emmie for Theatre and Tonic

As anticipation builds for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025, we’re catching up with a range of exciting creatives preparing to bring their work to the world’s largest arts festival this August. In this series, we delve into the stories behind the shows, the inspiration driving the artists, and what audiences can expect.

Today, we’re joined by Beth May to chat about her show Beth Wants The D.

Can you begin by telling us about your show and what inspired it?

“Beth Wants the D is a comedy about all the times Beth May has thought about killing herself! This autobiographical one-woman show puts you in the splash zone of death and delusion as Beth journeys through her struggle with bipolar disorder, but like, in a funny way. Through the bizarre highs and perilous lows, Beth knits comedy and drama together to find the scariest thing of all — a future full of hope.”

Content Warning: This production includes conversations about mental illness and suicidal ideation.

My name’s Beth May, and I’m a writer and actor based in Los Angeles. I’m probably best known for playing bumbling stepfather Ron Stampler on “Dungeons & Daddies,” an improv comedy podcast that tells the tale of four dads flung into the world of D&D on a quest to rescue their lost sons. I’ve also co-produced and co-starred in Rocketjump’s “We’re All Gonna Die,” which premiered at SXSW last year. I love poetry and I have a couple of published poetry works including my book “The Immortal Soul Salvage Yard” and spoken word album “Sunday Scaries.”

I also live with bipolar disorder and I’m working hard to mitigate the stigma associated with serious mental illness. I’m proud to say my advocacy work has raised about $44,000 for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

What made you want to bring this work to the Fringe this year?

I think this show might be helpful or cathartic for people and I’ll tell you why. So, this solo show is about my experience with mental illness, but I'm actually just one of millions, because 1 in 20 adults live with SMI or serious mental illness. These people, particularly those who deal with psychosis or have substance use issues, are often feared and vilified, and many times they haven’t survived to share their story. My story can’t bring them back or even do justice to their experiences, but it can show people that the curtain between sanity and madness is shockingly thin, and that our values are sometimes fragile. And even though it’s my very specific story being told on stage, I genuinely think anyone can see themselves in elements of it. I think this show makes the case that even when things are so bleak and even when you feel like you’re CRAZY, you can make it one more night. You can come back from this. I think that’s a message worth spreading. Or maybe I’m just an ego-maniac!

How would you describe your show in three words?

Funny. Dark. Hopeful.

What do you hope audiences take away from watching your performance?

I think this show is for anyone who’s ever stood on the top floor of a parking garage or beside a scenic cliff and thought, “what if I jumped?” And more specifically, it’s for anyone who really wanted to jump, anyone who has ever felt the hopeless and imperative need to stop living...whether or not they went through with it. That said, the show is still a comedy, and while it normalises and pokes fun at the very fine line between sanity and madness, it also speaks to the very serious consequences of mental illness, and how they affect a person, a family, a community, and society. Ultimately, it is intended to be a reminder that things can get better, and that even people some deemed to be crazy and useless can go on to write a funny and touching solo show about their experience.

What’s your top tip for surviving the Fringe?

I’ve never been to Fringe before, but my producer tells me to stay hydrated. But not too hydrated.

Where and when can people see your show?

Pleasance Courtyard, Baby Grand. 30th Jul - 24th Aug (not 6th, 13th, 20th) at 13:45 (60 minutes)