Michael Griffiths: Songs By Kylie is on at the Assembly Rooms: The Bubble - George Square Gardens, during August.
- What is your Fringe show about?
‘Songs By Kylie’ is pretty much as the title suggests - an hour of Kylie songs. There’s also some laughs and gentle biography too, starting with her time on Neighbours, joining forces with Stock, Aitken and Waterman, her emancipation and ultimate rebirth as a disco diva. If you're a massive Kylie fan like me, it’s an hour of heaven.
- How many times/many years have you appeared at the Fringe?
I started off with a Madonna tribute ‘In Vogue’ in 2013 and I’ve appeared every year since - so this marks my sixth in a row. Along the way I’ve performed my Annie Lennox and Cole Porter tributes and this is the first time I'm insisting I'm Kylie. All shows have followed a similar formula - me seated behind the piano and insisting I'm one of my idols without any drag or impersonation. The emphasis is always on the songs and the stories behind them.
- What’s your most memorable moment from the Fringe?
Singing Annie Lennox songs in her homeland in 2015 was really special for me. She’s my idol and after every performance someone form the audience would wait to tell me about their own connection to her. I had a former schoolteacher come, a former cook - pretty much you name it. Being asked to perform my Cole Porter tribute at Royal Albert Hall after being seen at Edinburgh Fringe was pretty hard to beat too.
- What’s the worst thing about the Fringe?
Being stuck in traffic when you’re on the way to a gig comes to mind. I'm forever jumping in and out of taxis and forgetting that most of the time it’s quicker on foot. Coming from Australia I always feel the cold in the Scottish ‘summer’ but the positives definitely outweigh the negatives, otherwise I wouldn't keep coming back.
- If you were not a performer what would you be doing?
I’ve been doing some teaching on the side the last few years and it’s very satisfying. Although I’ve spent twenty years on stage next year, so it’s hard to imagine ever giving it up entirely.
- How do you prepare for a performance?
It’s pretty boring but I always do a stretch and a vocal warm up. I’ve got a really fun playlist of early Kylie tunes that I dance around to like an idiot backstage before each show, it really gets me in the mood. The show is very nostalgic for my youth and I unashamedly favour all the early stuff.
- Favourite thing about being in Edinburgh?
The old town is so beautiful it always takes my breath away. I’ve also made a lot of friends over the years so it’s great catching up with people and seeing all my mates perform, it’s such a friendly festival. I went to a Cèilidh at my first Fringe and it was so joyous I was in tears. There’s great coffee all over the place too!
- What’s the most Scottish thing you’ve ever done?
Convincing an audience for an hour each night that I’m actually Annie Lennox. And I’ve eaten haggis for breakfast.
- Favourite Scottish food/drink?
I’m very partial to the occasional whiskey and a big fan of Scottish beer. Each year I seem to find a new favourite, last year it was Joker IPA. I love a big cooked breakfast too, I swear I’m at Kilimanjaro on Nicolson every day having a mug of coffee, eggs and potato scones.
- Sum up your show in three words
Camp. Nostalgic. Fun.
Show summary
He's been Annie Lennox, Madonna and Cole Porter to great acclaim. Now Helpmann Award winner Michael Griffiths explores the songs, stories and locomotion of pop princess, Kylie Minogue.
Michael Griffiths: Songs By Kylie is on at the Assembly Rooms: The Bubble - George Square Gardens, during August. For tickets, please visit www.edfringe.com
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