Shay Mace
Musical comedy performer Liv Rocklin makes her Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut next month, with her genre-blending whirlwind of stand-up, original songs, and storytelling that dives headfirst into the beautifully messy reality of losing control. Following the period after which Liv had to leave Paris some years ago, the story is told through seven songs, six languages, and five undiagnosed conditions, looking to unpack Rocklin’s obsession with control, while exposing the chaotic inner workings of a
brain on the brink. We caught up with Liv for a pixelated pint to find out about taking that story to the stage.
You can catch An American (Not) in Paris at Just The Bottle Room at Just The Tonic at The Mash House on August 6th – 30th at 18:10 (60 min). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Shay: Hi Liv! You’re headed to EdFringe with your debut musical comedy all about your (very brief) time in Paris, exploring themes ranging from OCD, ADHD, being Gluten Free and GenZ — tell us all about what’s made you decide to tell your story on stage and why in this way?
Liv: Hey! So, back when I was kicked out of France (long story…well…a tight 60 minutes), I remember my aunt texting me as I boarded the plane, “Don’t worry! You always make the best of things!” Now, at the time, I was like hey…not helpful, girl. I’d just lost this dream that I had worked for my entire life, along with losing control for the first time in my long 20 years, and I didn’t want to make the best of it. But, of course, the world wasn’t stopping for me, and honestly? Holding on so hard to resentment from the past just became too painful and like…not interesting. I’d been doing stand up and musical comedy since I was 16, but my passion and nerdiness had always been around theatre.
I just wasn’t feeling super fulfilled by stand alone bits anymore, and honestly felt fatigued of trying to force my life into tight fives. So I allowed myself some time to step back and approach myself as a character and figure out how the heck a city in France had so much power over me. I saw solo theatre as a way to honor all the parts of the story: the ridiculousness of my ego through humor, the pain of letting go through sincerity, and the unpredictability of life through the constant tone shifts of the show. And now it’s brought me to Edinburgh! So turns out my aunt was right, and I’m grateful for that!
Shay: How has the creative process been of putting the show together? Give us an idea of the journey you’ve been on with it so far.
Liv: I worked with a musical comedian, Tessa Skara, whom I really admire, at the start of the process. I had never approached a long form narrative before, and they continuously challenged me to ask myself what is this show actually about. Well, really, what they kept challenging me on was that the show wasn’t about Paris. I was looking at it narrowly, still trying to assert some dominance over a story about loss on control. The first version of the show, which went up at Caveat NYC in May 2024, was kind of a total brain dump of everything I’d felt in the last four years. I think I just desperately wanted to be heard. Taylor Swift’s 31 song Tortured Poets Department album had just come out, and I was like…yeahhhh I relate to that instinct of just saying “here’s EVERYTHING!”.
But over the next year, I started taking memoir writing classes with another musical comedian who actually largely inspired me to pursue Fringe when I saw their show in 2023 — Sophie Santos. I think by approaching myself as a character, it allowed me to see my motivations objectively, with less judgment and defensiveness, and make the show more intentional. My director, Hallie Rae Sebastian, helped me cut the show down from 75 to 60 minutes, protecting the sincerity while cutting the self-pity. Through runs at Orlando Fringe, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and PortFringe, it’s contracted and expanded in rhythm with audience response, and I’ve learned that the show is about much more than I expected to be. I’ve sort of been “yes, and-ing” the show’s growth, because between all my incredible collaborators and the life of the audience, it’s been another thing that’s benefitted from me releasing control of.
Shay: What will be the first thing the audience sees, feels, and hears as they enter the space?
Liv: Is it bad if I say fear? There’s a line in the opening song that goes, “You’ll laugh when I’ve planned and you’ll cry when I think you should. Your perspective will expand, just like I knew it would.” And one audience member once joked that they swore they heard the door click locked when I said that. The beginning of the show is me in my most self-eggrandized form. Thinking I have full control over everything, including the audience, and basically conducting the crowd with my every word. I think there’s a thought in the audience of “who does she think she is?” because they know how wrong I am far before I do. At the same time, I think they also feel very understood and that it’s relatable. Anyone who ever thought they knew it all and had control is going to relate to the start of the show. It’s a feeling a lot of us yearn for, so it’s tempting to step back into it when the performer in front of you believes it so religiously.
Shay: What are you hoping the audience might take away from the experience, if anything?
Liv: That control and safety aren’t synonymous, and that’s okay. The world is low-key (high-key) on fire right now, and it makes sense that we’re all trying to grab onto control to feel more secure. But the more times I try and be in control, the more times I have to grieve that that’s not possible. I hope the audience can walk away realizing how much more power there is in learning how to respond than in learning how to direct. This show has taught me that simply taking the next right action that is informed by my circumstances but grounded in my values will ensure I don’t wind up trapped, even if there are pain points. I hope the audience leaves feeling braver to take their next right action, whatever it is. They’re going to see in my story that it’s not always a sure thing, but it moves us forward and reveals more that we get to both embrace and respond to, instead of getting stuck in a loop of forcing a beautifully big world into a very narrow, self-willed box that absolutely will run out of air.
Shay: What journey has the show been on to find itself at EdFringe 2026?
Liv: A 3 year one that collected just as many new diagnoses along the way! How time flies when you’re showing new symptoms. I’ve had so much fun touring the show around the US Fringe circuit, starting with being listed as Best of Fringe at Orlando Fringe 2025, the US’s biggest Fringe Festival. That was a really exciting first accolade for the show cause it was listed among like…full production/full rigging circus shows and I was like…c’est moi?? But my favorite audience member there was actually RuPaul Drag Race winner Ginger Minj, who came up to me afterwards and said “I’m so glad I accidentally saw your show!” The magic of fringe!
Then the show went to Harrisburg Fringe which was a cool way to see it resonate with people in a smaller but passionate arts scene. Over the next year, the show was infused with a lot more self reflection and sincerity to ground the humor, with the help of my producer, Alice Zelenko. I think the pathos of it all has driven home the fun, which felt affirmed when I won Funniest of the Fringe at Pittsburgh Fringe and Critic’s Choice for Performance and Writing at PortFringe (Portland, ME) 2026. That performance piece has been elevated so much by Alice, who is also my choreographer. I’ve never been a dancer first, but Alice called my bluff. I mean, there’s a Britney Spears spoof in the show. It needed choreo! I feel like it’s going to Edinburgh at its funniest, most intentional, and most authentic that it’s ever been, and that’s really exciting.
Shay: With EdFringe now just around the corner, what are you most excited for?
Liv: I’ve described EdFringe as just like an amusement park of Art and Theatre — what’s better than that? The way I know I’ll walk into a dark basement, intruigued by 100 words in an online description, and walk out totally inspired by a type of art I’ve never witnessed, that’s what I’m most excited for! I love seeing clown shows especially. My show definitely uses a lot of character exaggeration (of myself) and parody, but it doesn’t lean all the way into farce like clown work does. I admire that work SO much. The physicality, the commitment, the poignancy. So send those clown shows my way!
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?
Liv: Well, of course a French 75! Gin and lemon for the bitterness of growing up, simple syrup as a counter balance of sweetness that keeps you wanting to sip more, and some bubbly champagne for some pops of wittiness and light fun. And yes, I googled “French cocktails” and then “ok so what’s in a French 75” for this answer.
Reminder, you can catch An American (Not) in Paris at Just The Bottle Room at Just The Tonic at The Mash House on August 6th – 30th at 18:10 (60 min). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Image Credit: Emily Akers
Salvador Kent
