Zoe Wohfield is an American clown bringing her debut solo show Dog Funeral to the Fringe this year! While this marks her fourth Fringe, it is her very first time bringing a solo show. To date, the only award Zoe has ever received was from her 8th-grade science teacher. The award was entirely unrelated to science: “most likely to fly away while talking,” a nod to just how animated she gets when she speaks.
How did you get into comedy?
I’ve always wanted to be on stage but I have very few talents. I can’t dance or sing or act very
well (I’ve tried it all!) but I have a pretty impressive burp-on-command and I’ve learned over the
years that I can make people laugh (not just from the burps, though sometimes they help). In
every fantasy I had as a kid of being on stage, the audience was always in awe (crying even!)
from my beauty and talent. Oh well! I suppose I’ve come to comedy because I simply don’t
possess any talent or will to improve myself.
Tell us about your comedy style.
I’ve been told that it’s “maniacal”, “demented” and “pretty f*cked up”. In other words it’s absurd,
irreverent, and pleasantly weird 😉
What is your show about?
The show is called Dog Funeral and it’s a funeral for my childhood dog. It’s an (absurd) ode
to loss, dogs, and the loss of dogs. It explores what it’s like to watch someone mourn: how they
behave, how they might treat others and what happens when they’re in the midst of grappling
with comprehending loss and the existential dread that comes with it. And it’s a comedy!
Where do I get my inspiration from?
Gizmo (my mom’s boyfriend Dave’s shih tzu) and my poor behaviour.
How does it feel to be returning to the Fringe?
Exciting and scary! I’m excited because I’ve never done a solo show so many times in a row
before! I’m very grateful to have this opportunity. I’m scared because at the last fringe I stepped
on a broom head and the handle hit me in the face so hard that I lost my hearing for 24 hours
and had a mild concussion for the whole fringe. So, I’m very scared of the brooms. But that’s it.
Nothing else about the fringe scares me at all. It’s a very chill, low pressure experience. I’m
feeling very chill.
You can follow Zoe Wohfield and keep up with her latest work on Instagram.
Tickets and more information can be found here!
