Will Owen Interview: Looking Fab at Fifty at Edinburgh Fringe

After a five-star debut and a sell-out run at Soho Theatre, Will Owen returns to Edinburgh Fringe with Looking Fab at Fifty, a sharp and funny hour about loneliness, queerness, commitment issues and Bake Off. Naturally.

Will’s known for mixing high camp storytelling with blink and you miss it punchlines, and this year’s show leans even further into the awkward joy of trying to connect with other people while still looking incredible. I caught up with them ahead of the Fringe to chat about writing new stories, letting go of shame, and figuring out how to be part of the chaos without losing what makes you you.

Your debut show Like Nobody’s Watching earned five-star reviews and toured London. How did it feel to go from Leicester Square New Comedian to a full Fringe run?

It’s interesting because I don’t necessarily see those two things as a direct pipeline. But I knew I was always keen to do Edinburgh, and that making a longer show had its own special appeal to me. You can build more threads, create your own specific atmosphere and tone in a Fringe show. I think also the biggest thing I learned from doing my first Fringe is that it’s kind of regarded as an endpoint now, something you’re ready to do to break your career. But actually I improved greatly over the course of the month, and I think that’s why I want to do it again, because it’s about evolving within one show, rather than just doing a carbon copy final product night in, night out.

That show featured pop culture obsessions like Loose Women and Strictly. What inspired the shift to Looking Fab At Fifty this year?

I wish I could say I had read a lot of Annie Ernaux and realised it was time to look inwards, but I think the shift happened naturally. I just wrote bits that were funny to me, and I think a theme naturally appears. In my case, the theme that appeared was a desire for love.

Your comedy blends storytelling with camp and quick wit. How would you describe the tone of this new show?

But you already put it so well! The show is tonally quite conversational. I’m hanging out, and then also strutting around a bit, flicking the mic cord. So I think camp storytelling captures it well.

Photo by mjulings

Audiences loved the playful moments in your last show, like the Rihanna tribute and that unexpected encounter with a policeman. What moment are you most excited to share this time?

Those moments actually changed every show! I had a very specific live element in my last show and I am eternally grateful to the open-hearted people that took part in that; it was so fun to feel like every show had its own little moment that wouldn’t happen exactly the same again. I’m excited about all the stories this time around. Doing work-in-progress shows, it’s really fun to see which bits resonate with different audiences, and I can’t wait to do that every night at Fringe.

You have spoken about reclaiming a style you once felt ashamed of. How has that journey shaped Looking Fab At Fifty?

I think I used to be shy of camp flourishes, but now I love doing them. A couple of years ago, I saw Julian Clary perform, and it just connected with me deeply. It was so hysterical and I loved it so much, and I thought how sad it would be to sacrifice feeling like that because I was too ashamed to be a bit camp with it.

You’ve toured with comics like Ania Magliano and Rhys Nicholson. What have you learned from sharing stages with performers like them?

Supporting them both were true highlights of my comedy career, so far. Both of them talked about their shows with such intention and detail, which I found inspiring. Rhys is so quippy and sharp, but their show builds so beautifully. Ania has this real natural tone, which disguises the amount of craftsmanship that has clearly gone into writing her show. Plus both shared snacks and drinks backstage which is also important to me, because it made it feel like a fun, glorified school trip.

Your first show looked at identity and TV obsession. This time you are exploring connection and queerness. What themes feel most personal to you right now?

Identity, connection and queerness. The three pillars of all brilliant, light-hearted comedy. A theme that’s feeling unexpectedly personal right now is avoidance. But I won’t be elaborating… due to the fact I’m avoidant.

What has surprised you most while developing this show, either about yourself or about the material?

I was quite surprised by how prevalent love was as a topic for me, as someone who hasn’t really had it romantically and always thought I was chill about that. The show is also a bit about having commitment issues, which was kind of surprising, because I always thought it was not me, it’s them. But I guess I have sometimes been the engineer of my own downfall… Icarus vibes.

If teen Will could see you now, what do you think he would say?

I think he would be asking a lot of questions about my lack of BAFTA nominations…

Finally, in one sentence, why should people come and see Looking Fab At Fifty?

It’s a show that’ll make you go “ok girl, this is what it’s all about, let’s get an Aperol, I love you, and oh my god I loved that bit about Jessie J.”

Photo by mjulings

Will Owen: Looking Fab at Fifty 

8.30pm in Assembly Roxy (RoxyBoxy)

30 July to 24 August (not 12 August)

🎟 Tickets: assemblyfestival.com