I have caught up with Kiren Virdee who is bringing her show to the Edinburgh Fringe this year which explores her various experiences of being South Asian in the UK.
When were you last performing at the Edinburgh Fringe?
This is my first time performing at the Edinburgh Fringe! I’m very excited, a bit nervous, and
really looking forward to being there. I’ve been to the Fringe as audience once before and
loved it, so I can’t wait to be there again.
What was the name of your previous show?
I’ve not previously performed a show at the Edinburgh Fringe before. As a performer, the
last show I was working on was a national tour with The Paper Birds theatre company. We
didn’t perform that show at the Edinburgh Fringe, but their company started out 20 years
ago with many shows at the Fringe!
How long has your current show been running?
Does Anyone Else Smell Curry? had a premiere at The Bread and Roses Theatre in October
In 2024 and, earlier this year, it was performed in a school for GCSE and A-level students. It
hasn’t had many performances so we’re very excited to have a slightly longer run of 9 days
with it! Previous audience reactions have been great so we’re looking forward to being
able to share it with more people. Fun fact, the show began in 2023 under a different name,
as a 20-minute piece at The Omnibus Theatre, with their Engine Room scheme.
Do you have any “good luck” rituals you undertake before performing?
I always like to do a good active warm-up as the show is quite physical! This often involves
some shaking and lots of breathing to wake me up, give me energy, and help with nerves!
How have you found booking accommodation this year?
We are staying in 3 different places over our time at the Fringe so there’s been a bit of
organisation needed! We’ve reached out to networks, family and friends, and managed to
find a friend of a friend who we could stay with for a good portion of our time.
Accommodation was probably our biggest concern going into the Fringe, so we tried to get
That sorted very early!
What three pieces of advice would you give to first-timers going to the Fringe?
1: Make sure you’ve thought of backup plans for most elements of your trip and
production. As we’ve gotten closer and closer to the festival, we’ve had a few small hiccups
arising as everyone’s schedules get full, and the logistics become complicated!
2: Plan what else you’re going to be doing at the Fringe (what do you want to see? What do
you have time for?)
3: Mostly, try to enjoy the experience, and remember what the spirit of Fringe is all about.
What are you plans after the Edinburgh Fringe is over?
I would love to perform my show again in London – I think it would be brilliant in the upstairs space of Soho Theatre and would fit in well with their current seasons. I would also love to take it to other parts of the UK to connect with a variety of communities.
The piece includes lots of interviews with South Asian people around the UK so it would be nice to connect with audiences that reflect this. It invites people to reflect on their
relationship with their appearance, their mental health, and their cultural identity so I think
It works well as an intergenerational experience within community settings.
Please feel free to add anything else you would like to include. Please pass on any links
You would like to be added at the end of the interview.
The show includes dance, physical theatre, lip sync, spoken word, and mixed media, so it has
variety! It was made in a verbatim style so it was created with interviews carried out with
people across the UK, of South Asian heritage. We focused on various aspects of their lived
experiences, both as people from a South Asian heritage and as people who exist in multiplicity with and beyond this aspect of their identity!
Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/does-anyone-else-smell-curry
Instagram: @DAESC_theplay / @kiren_virdee
Listings information
Venue: theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall : Theatre 3
Dates: 1–9 August 2025
Time: 14:05 (0hr45)
Ticket prices: £11.00 / concessions £8.50
Fringe box office: 0131 226 0000
Ticket link:
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/does-anyone-else-smell-curry
Theatre, Art and Film Reviews 
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