Hard Love-Edinburgh Fringe 2025-Part of the July Challenge.

Turkish Actress Miray Beşli who stars in Hard Love has taken time out to talk to me ahead of the play starting at the Edinburgh Fringe this August.

What is your Edinburgh Fringe show called and what is it about?

HARDLOVE is a two-person, provocative, dark comedy play. Directed by Jee Duman, it follows a one-night stand between an unlikely couple: free-spirited, fiery foreign woman Chichi (played by Miray Beşli) and a well-mannered, corporate American,Theodor (Chandler Stephenson). What starts as a drunken hookup spirals into a raw, funny, and deeply intimate clash of raw desire, fantasy, and identity. As they struggle to connect physically, they unravel emotionally. With razor-sharp dialogue and electric choreography, the play dives headfirst into what lies beyond lust. One night. Zero rules.

What is the history of your show? Has it been performed anywhere else in the world before bringing it to Edinburgh?

This play was originally written in Turkish by a Turkish writer, Anıl Can Beydilli. Esin Ileri has translated it and we’ve adapted the play for an English audience. Before its world premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe, we had an audience-adored run of previews in New York at Soho Playhouse Huron Club. Due to overwhelming demand, we extended the show and had a further run in New York in June.

What are your plans for the show after the Edinburgh Fringe?

We want to restage the show again at New York’s Soho Playhouse Huron Club from early October 2025. Our producers, Aylin Çobanoğlu and Ayça Demirağ (Rue de Pera Films) also intend to stage the play in Los Angeles, USA and London. They also want to turn this play into an independent, indie movie filmed in New York. Fingers crossed for all of these!

Is it your first time at the Edinburgh Fringe?

Yes, it is our first time. As HardLove Team, we are so excited!

There are over 3,500 shows performing – how do you think you will cope with the overwhelming chaos that the Fringe brings?

We are excited about this wild chaos. It is not overwhelming for us. It does not scare us, it excites us. We will listen to our intuition. We will just have fun, playing and being part of it and we believe that our audience will find us at the Greenside Venues at Ivy and Lime Studios (1-9 August Ivy Studio, 11-16 August Lime Studio). Our show has many catchy elements. It is tastefully and playfully sexy and funny and dramatic at the same time with a natural flow. We believe our energy and excitement will attract our audience. Come and watch us! I believe and I hope you will enjoy it.

What sort of other shows will see if you have time? Has anything caught your eye from the programme?

We want to watch as many shows as we can and support other groups and get inspired by all of our fellow artists. This is a wonderful, united creative energy from all around the world. We wanna feel it!

Have you ever flyered before?

Hahajaja No! Actually, we need advice about that. Please tell us what to do and lead us the way.

Do you have any “good luck” rituals you undertake before performing?

Yeah I have a “sacred and secret ritual” that I do before performing. It is like a totem, but I will keep it to myself I believe my partner, Chandler does something, but he will not tell me. I should ask Chandler. I do not want to ruin his thing though. Let’s keep all this mysterious.

How have you found booking accommodation?

Our venue, Greenside has led us the way and recommended us some university residences. We are staying at Queen Margaret University Residences.

What three pieces of advice would you give to first-timers going to the Fringe?

We are first-timers, too! So you give us advice – hmmm let me see. I advise the first-timers come and find us at Greenside so we can support each other! Also, I can advise to have fun and make the most of this incredible, precious experience. We will cherish each day with new excitement as HardLove Team.

Have you performed at any other Fringes? If so which has been your favourite so far?

No, This is our first time and Edinburgh Fringe Festival is our favourite of all time, of course 😉

Come and watch us at Greenside Venues 1-9 August Ivy Studio at 22.05 and 11-16 August Lime Studio at 20.45. We want to share this wild ride with you!