It is a truth universally acknowledged that a comedian in possession of a good character, must be in want of a Fringe show. One such is Rosalie Minnitt. The writer and performer brings her creation Clementine to the Fringe for her debut hour of character comedy. We spoke to Rosalie about Lady Clementine, the enduring appeal of Jane Austen and the Brontes, and her hopes for August.
Can you tell us about ‘Clementine’?
In many ways, you have to see her to believe her. She’s gloriously delusional and deliciously unhinged but, despite being almost entirely self-absorbed, you sort of still want her to succeed. The show follows Miss Clementine on her epic quest to find The One. Guided by the universe, will she bag a man? Or is she looking for love in all the wrong places?
How did the character of Clementine come about?
Clementine was very much a child of lockdown. As the madness slowly descended on my government-mandated daily walks, I conjured her to wile away the hours and keep myself semi-sane. Born out of half-daydreams and flights of fancy, the show is a whirlwind mash-up of all the books, films and music I was consuming throughout those nebulous months. In true homage to Ariana and Taylor, the show is also somewhat of a break-up album too.
The period drama is a rich source of material. What do you think is the continued fascination with Austen, the Brontes, etc?
I think period dramas are so enduring because, despite being set and written in a very different world to ours, the plots and characters are still so timeless and relatable. Everyone knows what it’s like to be cornered or, if we’re unlucky, propositioned by a Mr Collins-type at a party or driven to distraction by a brooding Heathcliffe. And, rather depressingly, the expectations on women also haven’t changed dramatically. Economically, our worlds may have opened up, but finding love, and indeed a husband, is still widely considered to be our raison d’etre.
This is your debut Fringe show as a solo performer. What are your hopes and expectations for August?
I’m just really keen to share the show with as many new people as possible. The humour is quite specific and, at times, a little bit niche so I really want the show to find its audience and strike a chord with the right people. Bringing a solo show to Edinburgh has also been a bit of a bucket list achievement for me so, more than anything, I want to prove to myself that I can do it and feel a little bit more validated as a comedian and artist.
Beside ‘Clementine’, can we expect to see you performing elsewhere during August?
I’ve already got some really exciting mixed bill shows lined up and cabaret nights where I’ll be performing sections of my show and giving audiences a taste of the character.
Apart from your show, what else are you looking forward to (or even perhaps dreading) about the Fringe?
Putting on a show and self-producing is such an intense experience that it can be really easy to lose sight of just how exciting it is to be performing in Edinburgh alongside some truly brilliant performers. I can’t wait to just be inspired by everyone else’s creations, make new friends and hopefully build a network of brilliant humans.
Are there any other acts at the Fringe that you would recommend audiences see?
Oh there are so many brilliant shows heading up this year. I’m really excited to see Dom McGovern’s split bill show, ‘Tied for Second’, Maria Telnikoff’s show, My Dad Wears a Dress, a new musical called, We’ll Have Nun of It and Ted Hill’s show all about solving the Climate Crisis.
‘Clementine’ runs from Thu 3 to Sun 27 Aug 2023 (except Mon 14) at Underbelly Cowgate – Delhi Belly at 14:25