Someone in a bright purple suit isn’t the most unusual sight at the Fringe, but it’s still a striking image. That’s exactly what came to mind for Edith Alibec, a vision of herself in this getup and with a strange void in her belly. It’s that void she will be exploring with the help of her audiences at the Fringe.

Where did your love of clowning begin?

During the Fringe, I saw, in 2023 for the first time and then in 2024, a lot of clowning. I’d been with shows to the Fringe but not clowning. I was like, ‘Oh my god, clowning for adults!’ I didn’t know it existed, I didn’t think I could do it. In 2025 I looked up all these shows… Mr Chonkers, weird stand-up like Jordan Brookes, or Rob Copland, and I was mesmerised by the whole thing. This is complete madness and I love the madness. And then I started doing workshops last year. I have experience as a performer, as an actress, so it’s not like I’ve never been on stage. But clowning is a different beast.

What’s your understanding of what ‘The Void’ is?

In general? The void is, I think it’s life. It isn’t how I define it now, probably I’ll define it differently in a month. It’s basically how I see living. For example, when I’m going through a rough patch, I was like ‘Why do I always feel like I’m not home?’ My life is not what it’s supposed to be, this feeling of- feeling completely inadequate or feeling like you’re not enough in one way or another. Feeling like you have to do more, to be more to fill it up…the empty feeling inside of you.

You do describe the show as ‘playful, melancholic and quite devastating’ – how do you balance those things?

With this show, I try to control it and it’s uncontrollable. It’s fully interaction based… what it teaches me is to lean into the unknown, truly, without trying to steer it one way or another. I try to be playful the whole show, play with the audience as much as I can. I like to have the playfulness but also have the bittersweet, drama, the more relaxing. Everything that’s behind the playfulness. Humour comes from suffering and I think that’s very true

You’re asking for the audience’s help to fill your void – have any suggestions so far really stood out?

Once, someone started blowing into my belly, where I consider the void to be. And it was so funny than I expected, then I went to the front row and I was like ‘Everyone, now blow! Let’s see if this works!’ Everyone started blowing! Someone [else] said, ‘I fill my void with Christmas.’ Okay! Luckily I had a Christmas tree decoration in my props and I brought it out and we did that.

What makes the Fringe special?

It’s truly a unique festival. People are crazy! I feel like a lot of crazy people at the same time, in the same place is awesome! So many people trying to build something from the ground up… I think that’s very special, you know? It has become this expensive monster – I have funding each year from different Romanian Cultural [Institutes], otherwise it wouldn’t have been possible. But it’s still preserved a quality of fringe-iness. Anyone can come, do whatever!

What do you want audiences to take away from this show?

I think they start asking the questions like, ‘Oh my god, what do I do with my void?’ during the show because I ask them but then afterwards [too]. I think that’s the main takeaway, they take the question with them. Because I don’t give answers.

Summarise your show in five words?

No man’s land, one hour.

‘The Void’ is at Cinema Room at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Banshee Labyrinth until Sun 30 Aug 2026