After a rather exciting two months on an acting job in Cincinnati, Aisha Josiah has returned to Edinburgh to work on Fringebiscuit, a review site which tracks ratings of Fringe Shows. Thankfully, she has a desk sponsored by Creative Informatics to enable her to get out of her kitchen and into a coworking space with members and events galore. 

First of all, what were you performing in Cincinnati? That sounds very glamorous! 

It was “Bankers” by Brant Russell, based at the Know Theatre of Cinninnati. This was a premiere for Russell, taking a tragicomic look at what is worth saving in the apocalypse and beyond.  

So you work and perform in theatre. Tell me a little bit about Fringebiscuit. 

Fringebiscuit was set up in 2010 as a review platform for the Edinburgh Fringe, based mainly on Twitter. Run by three multidisciplinary theatre professionals, the original aim was to engage audiences with easily digestible critical writing – but the founders soon realised they could do something more. 

In 2012, Fringebiscuit’s Young Writers Training Scheme was established. I was a participant of the scheme in 2012 and my positive experience motivated me to return as managing editor in 2014. Since then, Fringebiscuit has expanded to include coverage of fringe festivals in London, New York and Illinois.  

Fringebiscuit is dedicated to providing training and widening access to the field of arts writing, primarily at the Edinburgh Fringe. We believe that culture is only as good as the conversations it provokes, and the more capable and diverse the voices are, the better those conversations will be. 

What has your most memorable review been?  

Mostly, writing reviews – possible five or six hundred by now! There have been so many to review that it would be tough to choose (or remember!) a favourite. From the past year, some of my most enjoyable reviews have been ‘Chatham House Rules’, ‘Strategic Love Play’, ‘Bullring Techno Makeout Jamz’ and ‘You Are Going To Die’ — all great plays. Generally, I love a bold, punchy two-hander with memorable characters, whether that’s a romcom, thriller or any genre in between. 

What have you gained from having a sponsored desk at The Melting Pot in Edinburgh? 

The physical space away from home is really useful for me to establish a boundary between personal and work life. When I come into The Melting Pot everyone is friendly and there are plenty of events to attend. It just gives me the incentive to work and the layout makes it easy to feel motivated.  

If you feel like giving someone a physical place for motivation, connection and concentrated work, we have just launched a new pay it forward style desk campaign. Sponsor a desk and, beyond enabling a changemaker to pursue their social, environmental or creative impact project, you’ll also gain access to our social impact network of 500+ members and partners, receive discounts on Melting Pot services for the duration of your sponsorship and become a recognised Melting Pot partner.  

For your next opportunity to support social impact, contact Sam Ross, Business Development Manager, for further details at [email protected] or browse sponsorship opportunities here on our website.