‘We are getting married on stage at the Edinburgh Fringe – please come to our wedding’
It's a festival first.
When Joseph Martin and Linus Karp met in 2014 while working in retail, they might not have believed that 11 years later they would be getting married. On stage. At the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Life is a funny thing – but in this instance, it just makes sense.
The duo behind Awkward Productions and their many Fringe hits – including Gwyneth Goes Skiing and Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story – live and breathe the arts festival.
This year they are armed with a brand new play, The Fit Prince, in which they subvert and lovingly poke fun at the heteronormative festive romantic comedy genre. (While the status quo is brilliantly camp, they are making it queer.)
But never mind that! The couple are also living their own real-life romantic comedy this year.
‘Edinburgh is a pretty special place for us,’ Linus explains to Metro. ‘We were first just looking at getting married where we live in London, but the cheaper places were saying we could only do it in the office every third Wednesday at like 9am and it’s booked up for like 12 years, basically. It was ridiculous.’
The pair are performing their show The Fit Prince this year, so a honeymoon is off the cards(Picture: Anna Claire) They will be getting legally married on stage on August 16 in what is believed to be a Fringe first (Picture: The Fit Prince)The pair then thought why not do it in Edinburgh – a city which holds so much meaning for their relationship. Naturally, that thought progressed, like a good improv group, into another, ‘Why not?’ – which brings us to their current situation.
‘In England, you have to be in a registered venue. In Scotland you don’t. Provided that the owner of the premises says yes, you can get married wherever you like,’ Joseph explains.
So now Joseph and Linus are counting down the days until their August 16 wedding, which will take place at Pleasance Courtyard Grand venue… in front of 750 people.
They are believed to be the first Fringe performers to get legally married on stage as part of a show.
Yep, it’s all going to be legal (Picture: The Fit Prince)Nervous…?
‘Obviously there will be people there that we don’t know, but there are also going to be people there who are friends and family,’ Linus explains.
‘I think it’s just going to be really fun and exciting, and also just reflect this ridiculous, queer, joyful, performative side of us and our relationship as well.’
For Joseph, putting on The Fit Prince is more daunting than tying the knot in front of hundreds of strangers.
‘In the show, it’s entirely down to us. Whereas with the wedding, the legal bit is handled by the officiant, so we’ve just got to be there. It’s not like if I mess up something completely, then we’re not married,’ he says.
‘Any bad reviews, we’ll just blame it on her,’ Linus jokes.
The duo’s new show comes after their Gwyneth Paltrow show last year (Picture: Anna Claire)Direct family members will not have to pay for tickets, Linus and Joseph assure me. But for everyone else? That’ll be £12.
The officiant will be someone from Edinburgh City Council, who is indeed fully briefed that they will be part of a Fringe show on top of the nuptials.
In their hour slot, from 11.15am until 12.15pm, the duo will cram in everything from a grand entrance to special guests, speeches, vows and performances.
They are not asking for presents, and the dress code is optional: both are equally happy for festival-goers to dress up for the moment, or to grab a ticket five minutes before and rock up in shorts and a T-shirt.
This year marks the first time the pair have played a couple on stage together (Picture: Anna Claire)Children are welcome (and infants don’t have to pay). However: the wedding will contain strong language. There will also be audience interaction…
‘Anyone who’s seen an Awkward Prod show knows that you never just sit back and watch – and the wedding will be no different,’ Joseph teases.
Will the happy couple be jetting off somewhere nice on their honeymoon after their big day?
‘God no! We can’t afford that, we’re at the Fringe!’ Joseph barks.
Joseph and Linus’ wedding is taking place at 11.15am on August 16 at Pleasance Grand. Tickets here. The Fit Prince is showing throughout August at Pleasance Courtyard Beyond at 16.40. Tickets here.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
Comment now Comments
