Shay Mace
Bryn Woz is rolling out the red carpet for her alter ego Entendre Entendre to arrive at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in her character comedy burlesque hour SMUT. Framed as the launch party for the memoir of a former burlesque star regaling in the tales of her many many lovers, there’s something happening underneath the whole affair. We caught up with Bryn for a pixelated pint to unpack a life of drama and raunchy adventures, as well as reckoning with yourself and your past.
You can catch Bryn Woz: SMUT at Snug Bar at Assembly Roxy on August 5th – 31st (not the 18th or 25th) from 21:10 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Shay: Hi Bryn! Your upcoming EdFringe show SMUT looks into your life as a former burlesque superstar – tell us about what made you want to tell the story now.
Bryn: Hi Shay! First things first: the former burlesque superstar is Entendre Entendre, not me. There will be no stolen valor in this interview.
What Entendre and I do have in common is that we’ve both had wild love lives and collected plenty of stories along the way. I’ve been gathering these sexcapades for years, knowing I wanted to do something with them artistically. The “why now” is that I’ve finally reached a point where I can look back and reflect honestly on these experiences – what they meant to me, what I’ve learned and what I’ve yet to figure out.
The show takes the form of a book launch for Entendre Entendre’s memoir, SMUT, a recounting of her many, MANY lovers. The stories are mine, but they’re filtered through this worldly, bulletproof alter ego. Entendre thinks she’s simply entertaining audiences with tales of carnal adventure, but what unfolds is a real-time reckoning with her past and what, if anything, she’s learned.
Shay: The show uses song, striptease, poetry, storytelling and audience interaction – how have you found the process of bringing all of those together into one show and what can the audience expect?
Bryn: I’ve got the ADHD, Shay. I’ve got it bad. I can never stick to just one thing, so the progression felt natural. The stories started out as essays and poems, but as someone who has her toe in standup, burlesque and comedy music, certain bits just called for certain styles. I’m always looking for the funniest, most engaging way to tell a story. Sure, I could give you a straightforward essay about bad hygiene, but wouldn’t you rather hear a Shakespearean-style monologue called Stanky Dick and Balls?
The show’s ultimately about intimacy and connection, so it only makes sense that there is no fourth wall and that the audience is a part of the experience. The audience can expect laughs, surprises and of course vulgarity!
Shay: Tell us about your comedy icons – who are they, and how have they influenced your work?
Bryn: I’m a huge fan of Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball and Mae West. Beyond being comedic geniuses, they were trailblazers creating opportunities for themselves in an industry that wasn’t exactly rolling out the red carpet for women.
Carol’s warmth and quick wit remind me to trust my own personality rather than trying to be who I think people want me to be. Lucy’s physical comedy is unmatched and inspires me to get out of my head and into my body. And Mae West’s saucy persona and love of double entendres were a massive influence on Entendre Entendre.
I’m also obsessed with The League of Gentlemen. I love darkness and comedy in equal measure, and nobody balances the two like they do. They can make the darkest, most uncomfortable situations hysterical.
Shay: What do you do when you’re faced with writer’s block?
Bryn: For me, writer’s block isn’t a lack of ideas, it’s resistance to the act of writing itself. Usually it comes from wondering, “Will this be any good?” and becoming paralyzed before I’ve even started.
The truth is that the first draft probably won’t be very good, and that’s okay. Writing something that matters to you can feel like trying to take on the entire ocean, so I try to tackle it wave by wave instead. You don’t have to write an entire show, book or essay in one sitting.
I’ll set a timer, sometimes for just fifteen minutes, because you can do anything for fifteen minutes. If it’s not too painful, maybe I’ll do another fifteen. Before long, you’ve got something to work with. And then you get to the best part of writing: the editing.
Shay: Has/will the show be performed anywhere ahead of EdFringe?
Bryn: In 2024 I did a WIP version of SMUT for two nights with PBH Free Fringe in the karaoke room of a Pan-Asian restaurant. Then came a sold-out run at Hollywood Fringe, followed by the Edinburgh Percolator program at The Elysian Theater in LA, before bringing the show to Zoo Playground at EdFringe 2025.
Since then I’ve returned to The Elysian for a one-night-only extravaganza. It’s really grown and evolved from EdFringe ’25 and I’m so excited to bring it back!
Shay: With EdFringe now just around the corner, what are you most excited for?
Bryn: To be done with the pre-show admin. Just kidding. (But not really). What I love most about Fringe is that it feels like stepping into another reality for a month. It’s a magical bubble where you’re surrounded by artists from all over the world, discovering work you never would’ve encountered otherwise, sharing stories (and drinks!) with new friends and taking creative risks. It’s almost like a summer camp for strange and unusual adults.
One day you’re questioning every life choice you’ve ever made, and the next you’re walking around feeling like a goddess. It’s exhilarating, exhausting, vulnerable and inspiring – I genuinely don’t think there’s another artistic experience like it.
Shay: 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?
Bryn: Well, Entendre Entendre is quite continental, so a Campari Spritz, on the beach, with a Capri cigarette, reminiscing about her many Italian lovers. Or, on an off night, seven glasses of wine. But if you’re buying? Macallan 25.
A reminder, you can catch Bryn Woz: SMUT at Snug Bar at Assembly Roxy on August 5th – 31st (not the 18th or 25th) from 21:10 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
