Bailey Swilley is a writer and performer based in Brooklyn. In 2020, she was a semifinalist at the Austin Film Festival with her spec script for the TV show, Better Things, and her solo show, ‘The Pop Culturist’s Guide to Grief’, was a recommended pick in The New York Times. Since 2021, she’s hosted the monthly storytelling hour, ‘We Love a Theme’, in Brooklyn. 2024 sees Bailey bring two storytelling shows to the Edinburgh Fringe; ‘Don’t Tell Our Bosses’ with Ricky Sim, and ‘Gimme a Sign!’, a show about the sudden loss of her father. We spoke to Bailey about the two shows, the emotional weight of performing a show about about grief, and her approach to storytelling.

Can you tell us about ‘Gimme A Sign!?

These are the first personal stories I ever wrote and I put my whole heart into them! It’s about my family, about being an angsty teenager, and about being a woman who felt so lost without her dad. I also explore a bit of the supernatural and discuss how sometimes grief can turn people into mystics who are always looking to the universe for answers. Or at least, that’s what happened to me. It’s also funny, if you can believe it!

Has the show helped you deal with grief? Does it feel different emotionally to perform on different occasions given how personal it is?

This show is an honest look at what family is all about and a love letter to my dad. Taking the time to mine all of these memories of him hasn’t lessened my grief but it has transformed it from a pit of darkness to a celebration of life.

No two performances have ever felt the same. I think that’s because there are some days when the emotions feel more raw, for whatever reason. And I also never know how certain parts of the story will land. It’s always surprising which jokes resonate with people the most.

For anyone who might be new to you, could you describe your approach to comedy? What draws you to storytelling?

During my years living in New York, I have spent a lot of time trying out different types of comedy, and I think that was a privilege, because I got to explore feeling comfortable with the unknown through improv and then spent a lot of time learning to write and rewrite (and rewrite and rewrite…) with sketch, scriptwriting and stand-up.

Now, I feel like storytelling is my best fit because I can combine these disciplines, mining my memories and taking the time to connect with the audience. The show can feel different every single time, simply based on how the audience is reacting to it, and I love that!

Who are your comedy heroes, and how have they influenced you?

So many! The first who come to mind are Maya Erskine (PEN15), Pamela Adlon (Better Things), John Mulaney, Tiffany Haddish, and Mike Birbiglia. What I love about all of them is their ability to be vulnerable, not be afraid to look bad or ugly and prioritize the laughs.

You’re also doing a show called ‘Don’t Tell Our Bosses’ with Ricky Sim. Can you tell us about that?

Ricky is a New York comedy friend and, full transparency, he has been my ultimate EdFringe mentor. I truly would not have done this without his encouragement. Our show ‘Don’t Tell Our Bosses’ is a joint show with two of our half-hours. His is called ‘Corporate Gaysian’ and mine is ‘Trophy Kid’ — both are stories about our first big-city jobs and how they were… disappointing, to say the least. Okay, they were hell. But hopefully our misery will turn into lots of laughs for our audience! We’re doing it at The Stand from 1-11 August at 23:25!

This is your debut Fringe show. Is there anything you’re looking forward to (or dreading) about the Fringe?

I am trying not to dread anything! I have zero expectations and just want to enjoy the ride. Above all, I am looking forward to meeting and connecting with other artists and comedians. Also, I want to see some weird and freaky, arty stuff!

Beside the two shows can we expect to see you performing elsewhere during August?

I’ll be opening for Titi Lee’s show ‘Good Girl Gone Bad‘ on the 3rd, and I’ll also be performing in a showcase at the [Brewdog] Doghouse’ and ‘Fast Fringe‘ on the 5th, and with ‘Bev’s Comedy‘ on the 6th. Can’t wait!

Are there any other acts at the Fringe that you would recommend audiences see?

Everyone should see Charlene Kaye’s ‘Tiger Daughter‘, Alexis Gay’s ‘Unprofessional‘, Alex Nemo’s ‘Shitty Mozart‘, Bryan Berlin’s ‘Still Running Scared‘, and Ricky Sim’s ‘Coming Out to Dead People‘, just to name a few!

‘Gimme a Sign!’ is at Laughing Horse @The Three Sisters – The Wee Room from Thu 1 to Sun 11 Aug 2024

‘Don’t Tell Our Bosses‘ is at The Stand 4 from Thu 1 to Sun 11 Aug 2024