Joyful Raven’s solo show Breed or Bust will be performed at the Gilded Balloon at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023 2nd - 28th August. Tickets can be found at www.gildedballoon.co.uk

Joyful Raven is an actor, writer and comedian. Born into an iconic political theater family, she has been devising theater for over 25 years. Her last solo comedy Tales of a Sexual Tomboy was dubbed “…one of the funniest shows now on display on Bay Area stages” by the SF Chronicle. Tomboy won “Best of the Fringe '' at the 2016 San Francisco Fringe Festival and was awarded an ‘Encore Performance’ at the 2017 United Solo Festival in NYC. Her additional theatre credits include lead actor and co-author of four plays for “Prize of Hope '' winning company Human Nature and co-founder of the ensemble-driven theatre company Rococo Risqué, winner of SF Weekly Best Theater Ensemble.

Joyful has also appeared as an actor in many projects on stage and film, including Odyssey Works, an immersive theatre project; The Pursuit of Happiness, with Will Smith; and Spring Awakening, directed by Broadway and West End director Stafford Arima. She studied theater at Sarah Lawrence College in NY and holds an MFA in theater from UC Davis. She teaches Solo Performance and Storytelling at Berkeley Rep School of Theater. 

Helen Kennedy is a British actress, writer and voice over artist who originates from Dorset and is based in Los Angeles. Helen is a professional member of BAFTA LA and is an emerging name in the video game world too having voiced several characters for the World Of Warcraft Shadowlands 2020 release and Racoon Lagoon (Oculus).

Helen trained at Bretton Hall and has had wonderful success ever since. Not only is Helen a wonderful actress she also creates her own work drawing from personal experiences. Whore Table #6 is a hilarious comedy short Helen wrote that has been wildly popular in the film festival circuit including HBO Women In Comedy FF, the Oscar Qualifying Hollyshorts, Mammoth FF 2020 and was shortlisted for the Funny Women UK Awards 2019.

Most recently Helen wrote and performed in Wasted Seed a short based on the grueling affects IVF treatment can have on both parties in the relationship.

You can follow Helen on Twitter @helenkennedy1 and Instagram @helenkennedyturner1 

This week Lindsay interviews old class mate Alex Hafner. Hear all about Alex’s move from Europe to the States, and back to Europe again where, in the last couple of years Alex has really started to thrive as an actor. Of course there are ups and downs, scenes being cut, shows being put on hold due to Covid-19, but that is the life of an actor in general, you have to go with the flow. Find out how Alex has navigated his way so far.

You can catch Alex on Netflix’s Television show, Cable Girl’s, feature film, Submergence and The Mallorca Files on the BBC.

Follow Alex on Instagram and Twitter at both: @thealexhafner

Enjoy the episode.