Gillian Gurganus on And All That Jazz

Brooklyn-based performer Gillian Gurganus brings her autobiographical solo show And All That Jazz to the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time. With honesty, flair, and a taste for the messy, she charts her hilarious and heartfelt journey from rural roots to Times Square chaos, all while chasing the spotlight. The show dives into bad jobs, big dreams, and the gritty reality behind the pursuit of fame, packed into a tightly choreographed thirty minutes of storytelling and showbiz sparkle. We caught up with Gillian ahead of her UK debut to talk ambition, vulnerability, and why 16-year-old her would be screaming with pride.

Tell us a bit about And All That Jazz. What can audiences expect, and what made now the right time to bring it to the Fringe?

My show And All That Jazz is a half-hour-long solo show following me, Gillian Gurganus, on my road to stardom! I share just how determined I am to have my “big break” even if it means I’m working at a job that makes fame seem doubtful. Audiences should expect honesty, humility, and ambition like you’ve never seen!

I’ve been working on this show for almost two years, and earlier this year I left yet ANOTHER job I thought would fix everything. Spoiler alert: it didn’t! That’s when I realised that if I want big things to happen, I have to make big changes. The Fringe has always been an aspiration, and 2025 felt like the perfect time to show myself how much I believe in my dreams. Cheesy? Yes. True? Every word, honey!

Is And All That Jazz autobiographical, or do you keep a bit of mystery?

My show is completely autobiographical! I have a theatre acting background, so I love to be dramatic and play a heightened version of myself, but I feel the most funny and comfortable when I’m telling audiences about true things I’ve experienced that inform my specific perspective and sense of humor.

The show explores ambition, identity, and performance. How personal are those themes to you as a performer?

They’re huge! I’m a theatre girl through and through, a total ham who loves the spotlight! I host a show in Brooklyn, New York called Messy Queens where we share real-life disasters: bad breakups, horrible jobs, celebrity horror stories, the works. The truth is what thrills me most, and my truth is that I’m persistent and ambitious as hell.

What has surprised you most in the process of writing and developing this piece?

I think the most surprising thing to me while developing And All That Jazz has been how much I can write about times in my life where I feel like there was injustice towards me. Writing about times where I’ve felt wronged by someone or a situation is so therapeutic for me. It’s fun to be the storyteller and tell things from my perspective, but it also helps me see things from someone else’s point of view and understand where I went wrong as well. I adore vulnerability. It will always be a strong theme of my work.

This is your first time performing outside the US. What are you excited or nervous about sharing with a Fringe audience?

I’ve worked so hard on this show and I hope people connect with the vulnerability and “big dreamer” energy. A lot of the story is about working in the heart of Times Square in New York, so I’m curious to see how that energy translates. I just want to make sure audiences beyond the US connect with what I’m saying and feel seen and entertained too.

What would 16-year-old Gillian think if she saw you doing this show now?

I love this question! I think about this all the time! Whenever I get overwhelmed with all of the work that the Fringe requires, I remember that 16-year-old Gillian would freak out knowing all this is happening. She’d be so happy to know I live and perform in New York, and completely blown away that I’m taking a show to the UK. I didn’t even have a passport when I was 16! I know she’d be so proud of me and how confident I am now, and thrilled that my hair actually looks amazing with a middle part!

And finally, why should we all come and see And All That Jazz?

My show And All That Jazz has everything: vulnerability, Bob Fosse choreography, and a beautiful woman in her late twenties that is so excited to try vegetarian haggis!

Show details:

Just the Tonic at The Caves, Just Up The Stairs (Venue 88)

13–24 August at 14:25 (30 mins)

Part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025

Tickets available from:

edinburgh.justthetonic.com

edfringe.com

Venue box office or the Fringe Society, 180 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QS

Follow Gillian:

Instagram: @oneinagillian

TikTok: @oneinagillian1