How would you describe your show to someone discovering it for the first time at the Fringe? (No) Refunds is an interactive gameshow play hosted by the dazzling, delightful, and only occasionally dastardly Tiffany Gold, an old-school American gameshow host and model presenter all-in-one who quite literally depends on your entertainment. Each show, one premium ticket holder (dubbed the “Star Player” for the evening) competes in three of nine possible games designed to amuse the audience and showcase their talents. Only those best-suited to handle the demands of STARDOM will walk away with a full refund. No two shows are ever the same! What moment, idea or frustration first sparked this show into existence? This all began as an idea back in quarantine, March, 2020, when I lost three jobs in one day and was terrified by my sudden and complete financial dependency on friends, family, and the government as an out-of-work artist. I was angry and in shock at how what I thought was a carefully crafted system to sustain myself independently had crumbled in less than 48 hours. (No) Refunds interrogates what it means to create art under capitalism, the direct responsibility of audiences to compensate artists, and what a day’s work as an entertainer really feels like for our Star Players. How has the show evolved from its earliest idea to what audiences will see now? The first version of this show was actually drafted as a Zoom experience due to the pandemic. (PLEASE GOD MAY I NEVER HAVE TO MAKE ZOOM THEATER AGAIN). At the time, I ultimately ended up being cast in some other projects, and (No) Refunds was put on the back burner. When I moved to NYC in 2022 and started getting more integrated into the stand-up/clown scene here, I revisited the original draft and adapted it for in-person audiences. The first version that went up as a work in progress at Brooklyn Comedy Collective had only three games, and a VERY different (much angrier) ending. Since then, we’ve devised six additional games and really found the sweet spot of a fun show that still packs a bit of a “huh!” at the end. That said, the show evolves every night with each new Star Player, it’s genuinely interactive and it thrills me that it will never be the same experience twice. What makes Edinburgh Fringe the right place for this show right now? Clown! Genre-bending! Gameshow! WIG! Different every night! Shoestring-budget! Made by the people you’re seeing on stage! Capitalism? Cheeky! Immersive! Interactive! Sequins! Where the heck else does this show belong??? What does bringing this particular show to the Fringe represent for you personally? Dude, I’m literally living my dream right now. I’m insanely grateful. What has been the most unexpectedly challenging part of getting this show to Edinburgh? Earnestly, since we began working on this show with the goal of doing a full run at the Edinburgh Fringe, I’ve suffered two major health crises. First, a misdiagnosed burst appendix that resulted in two months on disability and forced our initial WIP presentation to be pushed back several months. Then, a diagnosis of vocal nodes after a 5-day run at the Fringe last year, that made me fear I would never be able to sustainably work in this industry without causing further injury. In the lead-up to this run, I’ve been focusing on finding balance. Our industry can be obnoxiously ableist; there’s an expectation to push through all illness and injury: “the show must go on.” I’ve made significant personal strides in the lead-up to this run to combat burnout and vocal injury and to ensure I can stay healthy for a month-long run. I expected financial and labor challenges, but my health was a blind spot. I’m proud to say I can now advocate for myself and my limits in a way I couldn’t two years ago when this journey began. If audiences leave the venue holding onto one thing, what do you hope it is? I hope they learn to see their value as artistic patrons and artists. (AND I hope they have a ROCKING GOOD TIME and grab a drink with me at the Patter House bar after) How do you think performing this show during a Fringe run will shape it? The beauty of interactive theater is its alchemical. Each night, each new Star Player, each new General Admissions audience, literally leaves a lasting impression on the piece. This is also the longest consecutive run of shows we will ever have performed. It’s going to be a real test of our performance stamina, but I have no doubt we’re up for the task this year. Who do you hope this show finds at the Fringe? The morning after our sold-out opening night of Fringe previews in NYC, a friend texted me the following about her experience: “I was feeling so tired and run down from work and you completely shifted my mood (positive). I feel like I never have fun at the theatre anymore, but I had so much fun last night.” Let us be your pick-me-up after a long day at the Fringe, that’ll send you back out ready to take advantage of all late night has to offer! Finally, if this show came with a warning label, what would it say? NO REFUNDS! Unless… (No) Refunds runs at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 5th-31st August 2026 (except 18th).
Next in our Edinburgh Fringe interview series, we speak to Katy Murphy about their Edinburgh Fringe 2026 show (No) Refunds. It’s described as ”an interactive game show play hosted by Tiffany Gold, an old-school American host and model presenter all-in-one who quite literally depends on your entertainment. One premium ticket holder, dubbed the Star Player for the evening, will compete in three games designed to amuse the audience and showcase their talents. Only those best-suited to handle the demands of stardom will walk away with a full refund. Do you have what it takes?”
