Shay Mace
Linus Karp is one half of Awkward Prods, well known on the Fringe circuit for their bonkers and absurd interactive shows including Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story, Gwyneth Goes Skiing & The Fit Prince… and as hosts of the Binge Fringe Queer Performer Awards at EdFringe in 2025. Taking their genre-smashing, high-octane approach to theatre in new directions this year, Linus is telling a much more personal story in Linus Karp Was Hit With an Umbrella. We caught up with Linus to discuss making theatre from trauma, homophobic hate crimes, queerness, guilt, the legal system and much more in this interview.
Linus Karp Was Hit With an Umbrella will preview at London’s Park Theatre from July 23rd to 25th from 8:30pm (60mins). Tickets are available through Park Theatre’s Online Box Office.
You can catch the show as part of EdFringe Friesian at Underbelly, Bristo Square on August 5th – 30th (not the 18th) from 20:20 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Shay: Hi Linus – it’s been a while since we caught up with you after you wonderfully hosted our Queer Performers Awards last EdFringe – tell us about what you’ve been up to in the meantime.
Linus: It’s been a wild year! We did a six week run in New York with our show Gwyneth Goes Skiing, then we did a Christmas run of The Fit Prince in London, before heading back to the States performing Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story in New York, LA and Aspen. Since then we’ve spent the spring touring The Fit Prince across UK and Ireland, with a few Dianas thrown in as well as we can’t keep her away. All while working on our new show for this years fringe!
Shay: You’re bringing Diana back to EdFringe this year after rave success, but also bringing a autobiographical work exploring your experience of a homophobic attack – tell us about the process of creating something so personal on the stage, and what the audience can expect.
Linus: The way the real life event played out, especially with the court process and the aftermath, left me thinking about it a lot. A few days before heading to the Fringe 2025 I couldn’t sleep, instead I picked up my laptop and wrote a few pages of what has now become Linus Karp Was Hit With An Umbrella. I worked on it occasionally over the months, before showing Joseph who instantly said “this is the next show”. I was worried the show would just be someone sharing their trauma, but the more I worked on it, the more I felt this was a story that should be shared.
It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever written, I’ve been really scared about doing it as it’s such a departure from my normal shows. That said, the audience can still expect certain awkward prods tropes, and there is a lot of humour and comedy in the piece, though definitely darker than usual. I am really excited and also scared. Haley McGee is working with me as a dramaturg on the show, she wrote my favourite fringe show ever, Age Is A Feeling, working with her on it is a dream and has really help elevate the show.
Shay: What will be the first thing the audience sees, feels, and hears as they enter the space?
Linus: Oohh, you want us to give that away already? As the audience enter the space, they will be met with a statement about the hate crime that happened to me, juxtapositioned with some absolute pop bangers. The show will constantly be moving between the serious and the ridicuolus so it seems like an apt intro of what’s to come.
Shay: What are you hoping the audience might take away from the experience, if anything?
Linus: First of all, what I always set out to do, is to create the best and most entertaining show possible. With this show I’d like to think it can opens up questions and discussions on themes like queerness, guilt, the Met police, the legal system, the rise of LGBTQ+ hate crimes, how to deal with a hatecrime, how to support someone dealing with being hate crimed, the social medias response to trauma, loss and legacy. Despite all this it’s also funny, I promise.
Shay: With EdFringe now just around the corner, what are you both most excited for?
Linus: To be up surrounded by artists and creativity! To eat halloumi wraps, drink passionfruit martinis on tap and see countless amazing shows. Especially excited to see as many queer shows as possible – still to go through the programme programme in detail (though I’m sure you could give us some great recs Shay!), we’re very excited to see new shows by friends like Kate Butch, Crudi Dench, Recent Cutbacks and Xhloe and Natasha.
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?
Linus: I feel like a nice fruity Punch would be apt. Obviously served with a cocktail umbrella.
Diana on the other hand would be a Negroni. There are three types of liquors in a Negroni, so it is a bit crowded.
Linus Karp Was Hit With an Umbrella will preview at London’s Park Theatre from July 23rd to 25th from 8:30pm (60mins). Tickets are available through Park Theatre’s Online Box Office.
You can catch the show as part of EdFringe Friesian at Underbelly, Bristo Square on August 5th – 30th (not the 18th) from 20:20 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
