Jake Mace
Aaron Pang’s upcoming EdFringe show Falling: A Disabled Love Story explores Aaron’s own journey, faced with a spinal-cord injury, we follow his journey to understand this new body in the uncertain world of first loves, online dating and sex. We caught up with Aaron for a pixelated pint to find out more about bringing his story to the stage.
You can catch Falling: A Disabled Love Story from July 30th to August 25th (not the 6th or 18th) at Bunker Two at Pleasance Courtyard from 15:00 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Jake: Hi Aaron! You’re bringing an autobiographical show to the Fringe this year, tell us about the process of bringing your own story to the stage and how you found the humour in it.
Aaron: Hey Jake! Bringing my story to the stage has been this weird mix of honesty and mischief. It started as stand-up bits about weird interactions I’ve had with people on the street about my disability, but then I realized I needed to lean into the awkward, uncomfortable moments that are more intimate to find the real humor. The jokes come from those places where people expect me to be inspirational or tragic, but I just want to be messy, funny, and real. It’s defying and subverting those expectations that really take the show’s humor to the next level.
Jake: Tell us about what the audience can expect coming into the show, and what they might not expect about the show.
Aaron: Audiences can expect a lot of laughs mixed with some real vulnerability. It’s funny, but also pretty raw. What they might not expect is how physically present the story is. I perform with my cane, and that adds a layer where the audience’s assumptions about disability get flipped on their head in real time. They will come in thinking that it is a show about how I overcame my disability, but what they might not expect is how I did it is through methods that are much more mischievous and morally gray.
Jake: What are you hoping the audience might take away from the experience, if anything?
Aaron: I want people to question not just the stories they’ve been told about disability and love, but also how they’re reacting to those stories in real time. My hope is that during the show, audiences become aware of their own assumptions, discomforts, or surprises, and reflect on why they feel that way. It’s about challenging the usual narratives and inviting folks to think about their own role in shaping those stories. Ultimately, I want them to see how complex, messy, and deeply human these experiences really are.
Jake: With Edinburgh Fringe 2025 just around the corner, what are you most excited for?
Aaron: I want to watch a lot of musicals. My world is mostly standups, and I want to watch as many up and coming musicals as I can. I love a good climactic ballad!
Jake: Given the themes of Binge Fringe, if your show was a beverage of any kind (alcoholic, non-alcoholic – be as creative as you like!), what would it be and why?
Aaron: I’d say Falling is like a spicy dark rum cocktail. It’s got a kick, it’s a little sweet and a little bitter, and it sneaks up on you. You think you’re just here for a fun drink, but suddenly it’s making you rethink your life choices.
A reminder, you can catch Falling: A Disabled Love Story from July 30th to August 25th (not the 6th or 18th) at Bunker Two at Pleasance Courtyard from 15:00 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Image Credit: Kaelan Novak
