Badge of honour behind Lesley’s comedy caper
Bridge of Allan woman Lesley Stone is taking her one-woman comedy show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe later this month.
Be Prepared! tells of 70 yearold Lesley’s youthful valiant struggles and amusing attempts to acquire multiple Guiding badges.
Now, resilient and mature as the quirky founder of Guides Reunited, she has become even more badge obsessed in this irreverent comedy caper.
Packed full of anecdotes, confessions and singalongs, Be Prepared! is an anarchic and hugely entertaining show which is coming to Edinburgh following a sold out run at the Wandsworth Fringe in May where Lesley was presented with a Spirit of the Fringe award.
Speaking on the creation of the show, Lesley said: “The idea for the show came to me when I found my old Guide uniform in the attic and after finding that it still fits - just! I started developing the piece through a series of devising workshops. It’s a varied and fun show combining music, comedy and audience interaction so there’s something for everyone and I am looking forward to bringing it home to Scotland.”
A seasoned actress, musical performer and composer, Lesley has worked in film, television, theatre and radio. Credits range from playing Homily Clock in The Borrowers at the Polka Theatre, Wimbledon; Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest at the Wimbledon Studio and national tours with Clean Break Theatre Company playing Simone in Didn’t Die. Other productions have taken her to the Traverse and Lyceum Theatres in Edinburgh and to the Orkney and Shetland Isles as Evelyn Glennie’s mother in Playing from the Heart. Films include ManDancin’ and she has also appeared in popular children’s TV shows BBC’s Playdays and CBBC’s Topsy and Tim.
Lesley is also experienced in improvised theatre and storytelling and plays guitar, ukulele and piano.
She’ll be appearing in Be Prepared! at The Space @ Surgeons Hall, Venue 53, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh from August 21-26 at noon. Tickets £10 (£8) available from the box office at 0131 510 2384, email boxoffice. surgeons@thespaceuk.com.