Have a Gander – Aidan Sadler: Melody

Dominic Corr

Jul 27

Join award-winning queer cabaret icon Aidan Sadler as they take you on a journey to the end of the world! Nothing is safe from ridicule, so be led on an exploration of normalising the apocalypse, the price of a meal deal, and having a quick visit from your dead nan. Here you'll experience belting original synth-pop tunes punctuated by world-class stand-up comedy.

Featuring electrifying hits that you'll be humming to armageddon, Melody is the highly anticipated successor to Tropicana, following a central London residency, three sell-out theatre runs and a national tour.

Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?

MELODY is my new one-person queer comedy cabaret! It's a fun, uptempo celebration of the apocalypse we call 2023! I myself am a full-time cabaret artist in London, and having just finished my West End residency I'm absolutely gagging to get stuck back into the fringe bubble. Fringe has always been where I really get to test myself as a creative and it's where my career started all those years ago. I'll never forget our first run (Tropicana) and that tired, emotional, sleep-deprived satisfaction of working so hard to make a thing... And then doing it!

Tell us about the creative team and process involved?

My company is Weird Wood - consisting of myself, my co writer George Bricher and a collective of fun and interesting weirdos who support me in making my nonsense! George and I have known one another for nearly 13 years and if there's one person who can force a good gag out of me it's him. He's straight so putting his name and the word "gag" in the same sentence will infuriate him. This year we've expanded as we're creating original music for MELODY. We're collaborating with the likes of Robert Fincham, Hannah Richards, and Dirks and Tapper.

How does it feel coming to the Fringe?

Unexpected! It's a bit like being attached to a metaphorical bungee cord that snaps me back to being poor every year. It's thrilling, over too quickly and leaves me scrabbling around to try and see where my pocket change ended up. This is our third year at the festival and we only found out about our run a few weeks ago! Luckily MELODY has been in the pipeline for about 8 months now so it was a case of finishing touches and adapting it to be current and we were ready!

There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?

I've made an entire career of trying to redefine the cabaret genre. I genuinely believe that nobody is quite creating the sort of work we are - modern, strange, irreverent gig theatre with a pressing message presented in a totally unserious way. We've always been noticed for making projects we're genuinely passionate about - either that or people can see the desperation in our eyes!

Is there anything specific you're hoping the audience will take away?

The show has this overarching theme of unity - that whilst we're all up sh*ts creek, we're up it together! The message I want people to have is that whilst things may seem very tumultuous (nice word, thank you) at the moment - if we unify hopefully we can survive. Like a cockroach. Or Morrissey. Realistically I'm trying to break out of the "cover artist" niche and into the world of creating my own artistic voice.

Your ideal audience is in attendance, who's watching? Or more importantly – who isn't there…

My choice audience is probably 59 nans and one drag queen. I'd probably fail to do any material, but I'd learn how to cross-stitch and bitch about Beryl's crumble. The thing I loved about Tropicana was that it meshed some really opposite demographics together in a room. People who grew up on 80's music and little baby queers are here to see what all the fuss is about. I'm hoping for something similar with MELODY this year!

It's an intense month, so where you're able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?

Relaxing at the fringe is a phrase that is unfortunately an oxymoron. It's like trying to sing along to Oppenheimer, it can't be done and you'll ruin the point of it! But for me making sure I have four walls to myself is imperative (and increasingly difficult with the cost of accommodation). I think it's important to get regimented quiet time away from being loud, queer and annoying all the time. I have so many shows I'm looking forward to! Blues & Burlesque with the incredible Belle De Beauvoir, Posey Mehtas Mitzi Fitz's Glitzy Bits looks absolutely hilarious, fellow Weird Wood alum Natalie Durkin will be doing a split bill I believe... There's heaps! We're truly spoiled for choice this year!

In your ideal world, how can we improve the world of the Fringe, of performance, and the industry?

Oh god don't get me started! The Fringe has been about celebrating grassroots talent from its inception: however, I feel that supporting that grassroot talent has never really materialised. With the aforementioned rising accommodation costs (on top of the already rising cost of living) this festival runs the risk of becoming West End on tour. The Fringe Society gets absolutely heaps of money every year and I think it's long overdue we start questioning where that money is being invested. The bells and whistles are lovely but if we're not supporting working class, POC, queer, REAL voices get to the fringe we're as bad as the rest of the industry (which, believe it or not, is bad!) Accessibility in theatre is sliding backwards and soon performing and bringing joy to the masses will only be an option for the elite. That's why my biggest advice for fringe goers is see smaller shows, see smaller casts, enjoy grassroots theatre as your money will go to a much better cause than the bigger shows that churn cash!