Award-winning comic actor Sims Holland brings her acclaimed solo show Learning to Human to the Edinburgh Fringe, charting her journey from addiction to the challenging and often hilarious, road to sobriety. Blending storytelling, clowning, stand-up and poetry, the joyful and deeply personal show explores the courage it takes to begin again, reconnect with the world and embrace the imperfect, wonderful and worthy human being in us all.
Holland’s accolades include winning Best Autobiographical Show at the United Solo Fest NYC, Best of Fest at Frontera Fest Austin, a Special Award from the Austin Theatre Critics, and an Outstanding Solo Performer nomination at the B. Iden Payne Awards.
How did you get into comedy / writing / producing etc?
Living in LA I found myself mostly not doing the thing I moved there to do, so in an effort to take control of being able to perform I began doing stand-up. Then in an attempt to write a 1-hour comedy special I accidentally wrote Learning to Human instead. Whoops!
Tell us about your comedy style.
I love dark comedy storytelling à la Mike Birbiglia or in the realm of Griefcast, where we are dealing with serious issues but focusing on the absurdity of and around them. I would say Learning to Human lives in that world.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
From other female and female-identifying comedians and performers. I also read a lot of female/female-identifying self-help books.
How does it feel to be going to the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time?
I am over the moon about it, absolutely ecstatic.
Who are the funny women you would recommend seeing at the Edinburgh Fringe this year?
I cannot wait to see Claire Woolner in Underground Monk Show, Lois-Amber Toole in SLAY, Kristen Schaal in The Legend of Crystal Shell, Ayoade Bamgboye in Small Talk, and the show Houdini Speaks to the Living by Beth Burns, to name very few.
Tickets and information for Learning to Human can be found here!
