Edinburgh Fringe Chats (#117): Kath Gotts, FOOTBALLERS’ WIVES - THE MUSICAL

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 Kath Gotts to find out more about her show, Footballers’ Wives - The Musical.

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

The show is based on the original tv series–which first aired on ITV back in 2002. We loved the characters and outrageous storylines and the heightened quality of the drama made it eminently suitable for a musical. The plotting, the humour, the style–it’s all fabulous source material. Plus, Maureen is one of the original creators of the show, so it’s very much close to our hearts.

As we did with Bad Girls The Musical, we’ve taken the core relationships and played out their stories in our own way–so it’s not necessary to have any prior knowledge of what’s gone before. And as well as being outrageous fun, it’s also a look at the shifting power dynamics within relationships tested by excess money and celebrity-particularly when lives can be suddenly and completely transformed by success–or, indeed, failure. We add to that mix a goodly dose of general skulduggery and insanity and then watch it all come to the boil

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

We did a workshop of the full show back at the end of 2019. We were all set to move on to the next stage when lockdown, and then life, got in the way of our plans. As an interim satisfaction we decided to record a studio cast album, which was released in 2022. That was great fun to do and it was wonderful to work with Joe and Nikki Davison of AuburnJam on the arrangements as well as having a superb cast to record the songs. But obviously that just whets the appetite for seeing the actual show and when Laura from WildPark suggested we take the show to Edinburgh we agreed it would be a great opportunity to find our audience. We’ve condensed the showdown to 80 minutes, so this version is a romp through at break-neck speed. But we hope everyone enjoys the ride.

3. How would you describe your show in three words?

Sassy. Saucy. Sultry.

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

We want audiences to come out feeling thoroughly entertained. To have laughed and cried, been surprised and delighted, and to feel empowered and energised. That should do it.

5. What’s your top tip for surviving the Fringe?

That’s the question I should be asking you! I have to confess that I’ve never been to the Fringe either as a participant or a punter, so all tips gratefully received. I’m hoping for nice weather, good food and some excellent entertainment.

6. Where and when can people see your show?

Footballers’ Wives will be at The Assembly Rooms Music Hall from 30th July–24th August every day (except 13th August) at 6.35pm.

https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/footballers-wives-the-musical

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