Award-winning comic performer, writer and director Michael Kunze (member of the Comedy Lab at the prestigious Torino Film Festival), makes his eagerly anticipated Fringe solo debut as Hollywood film superstar Mitch Coony. His show Infinity Mirror is a cautionary tale about celebrity, failure and a man who sold his soul for fame and found it wasn’t worth much to begin with.
Previously, Kunze’s two-hander musical comedy, Lil Saffron: Ragu to Riches, received multiple five-star reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2022 and transferred to the Pleasance and to Soho Theatre in London. He also co-founded the company Blue Heart Theatre and directed their OffComm-winning Exile, which ran at the Southwark Playhouse and the Kings Head Theatre.
Q&A with Michael Kunze
How does it feel to be returning to Edinburgh Fringe?
I’m so excited! Despite its many well-documented flaws, it’s still a one-of-a-kind festival and a great place to build an audience and a name. I’ve been up with various shows before, but this one is all me which adds a bit of pressure, definitely. That said, I know what it takes to put a show on, and how much energy it requires to stay on the ball for a month, so I think I’m as prepared as I could be! Talk to me at the end of the month when I’ve made all my mistakes.
What can you tell us about your show and its inspiration?
“Michael Kunze: Infinity Mirror” is a character comedy show about the rise and fall of deeply flawed Hollywood actor Mitch Cooney, the man who sold his soul for fame and found out it wasn’t worth that much. It’s a really fun collection of sketches and songs and dumb nonsense and I love doing it. I had the idea when I was walking along the Thames listening to a celebrity interview podcast, and I found myself tuning out the celebrity and pretending I was the one being interviewed – I think more people do this than will admit. I’m fascinated by celebrity culture and how we talk about success and failure, the tropes of the “Hollywood” story, and I wanted to make a joyous show that had some fun with that.
How do you think audiences will react to the show?
They will laugh! I’m sure of it. There will also be a few moments where they might even feel something. I’m hoping that there’ll be something for everyone, and for a few chosen people they will achieve total comic transcendence at 12.55pm in the afternoon.
How have you been preparing for the festival?
So many works-in-progress! Since the start of the year, I’ve done 10 different shows, and I say different because each one has had a new draft, with bits that didn’t work chucked out and bits that did made funnier. I’ve got a few left and the show is taking shape and getting sharper each time. I’m also trying to find the delicate balance of production admin to actual creative stuff – there’s so much to do at this moment it’s easy to just do the admin when really it’s the show that takes priority.
Will you get a chance to enjoy the rest of the festival?
Yes I will! I have loads of friends making their own solo debuts, and together we will be a merry band of idiots chasing our dreams and succeeding and failing and all that. There’s also so many shows that I want to see. I honestly cannot wait.
Do you have any Fringe anecdotes you can share with us?
Last year I started a beef with a Santa Claus character comic who talked trash on my improv group. I’m embarrassed that sentence exists, and I’m also embarrassed how much I lived for the drama. When I confronted him about it I didn’t know his real name so just had to have a very serious conversation that amounted to “Santa, you hurt my feelings,” and “Santa, saying you’re sorry my feelings are hurt isn’t a real apology.”
Michael Kunze: Infinity Mirror is at Underbelly Cowgate – Delhi Belly from 1 to 25 August
