Inside The Untold Fable of Fritz with Paige Canavan-Smith
After the success of our 2025 Camden Fringe Interview series, we thought it only right to attempt a repeat for 2026. So throughout July we’ll be publishing new interviews each day to give a taste of what to expect from London’s best fringe theatre festival. The festival starts Monday 3 August this year, so we may give ourselves a couple of days off inbetween the end of the interviews and the first shows… then again, we might not.
You can find out more about Camden Fringe, along with details of every show playing this August here. You can also find all of this year’s interviews as they are published here.
If you are looking for a joyful escape from the stresses of modern life, look no further than The Untold Fable of Fritz. Described as a beautiful blend of Horrible Histories and Monty Python set within a Narnia-esque world, this family-friendly puppet adventure is heading to the Rosemary Branch Theatre for Camden Fringe 2026. Created by the Arts Council England-funded company Unsettled Theatre, the show is a triumphant celebration of hope that has evolved from socially distanced university roots into a nationwide project. We sat down with director and creator Paige Canavan-Smith to talk about designing a show that fits into a Peugeot 208, transforming a standard clothing rail into a snowy mountain, and why “holding on tightly and letting go lightly” is the ultimate creative mantra.
If you had to describe the vibe of your show in just one sentence, what would it be and how does it manifest on stage?
I always say our show has Horrible Histories/Monty Python humor and is set in a Narnia-esque world… with puppets.
Why did you make this show in the first place?
We started making this show after we left university. The country was in the midst of the pandemic and a lot was unknown. Firstly, we came together to see if we could make theatre as a group. Secondly, to make something light, fun, and playful. We started with masks, covid tests, and some free space at the New Diorama. Over the years we rehearsed at The Historic Dockyard in Chatham, and then we went back to St Mary’s University, where we all met. This show has really been the beginning of Unsettled’s journey, it’s helped us learn how to make work, but also how to become the creatives we always wanted to be. Unsettled is the springboard for our curiosity.
Why is 2026 the perfect time for this show to be seen?
This show will allow you to escape to a fantasy world full of magic and mayhem and is bursting with comedy and heart; it’s a reprieve from the current life stresses and awful world events.
Is this version how you originally envisioned it or has it changed drastically since you first put pen to paper?
Golly, if you had seen what the original plans were, you would not know what hit you now! But that is the beauty of devising theatre: it continues to grow, but the heart of the piece has stayed the same. At the end of the day, no matter its trappings, it’s a story of hope.
What is something a performer has brought to a character that completely surprised you?
It’s always amazing working with new cast members because they bring a new energy to a role. Emma Read joined us this year and she has brought such buoyancy and lightness to the Doctor and the show in general.
Being a fringe festival, we all know sets have to be bare minimum. How have you got around this with your set and props?
When we first started making the show, the biggest concern was, “Will it fit in my Peugeot 208?” And that was the basis of how we made the show; it had to be compact, and each prop or costume had to really mean something. We utilize a lot of our props in multiple ways!
What’s the weirdest or most unconventional prop used in your show, and how did it come to be part of the production?
Our clothing rail is never actually used to hang clothes. We use it for all manner of things: a sledge, a tent, a mountain, an icicle, a door, and so on. We had the rail very early on in rehearsals because it felt like we needed something to create a doorway at first, and it just evolved from there.
How important is audience interaction to you?
This is a family show, and we want everyone to feel relaxed and to enjoy themselves. We love hearing the laughter, the “ooohs” and “ahhhs,” and feeling a sense of togetherness with the audience.
What does “success” look like for you this August, beyond just selling tickets?
I think for me, it’s about making a meaningful impact on everyone Unsettled engages with, be that the audience, venue staff, or Fringe volunteers. I think we have been successful if they want to work with or see us again.
If you had to describe your show as a colour, what would it be?
Well, the colour scheme is blue, but that doesn’t feel like the “vibe” of the show. I am going to say orange because the show has so much warmth and heart.
If you had to describe your show as a meal, what would it be?
I am going to kind of cheat and say it’s a warm hot chocolate with marshmallows and a biscuit to dunk; a “Girl Dinner,” if you will. The show is mainly set on snowy mountains, and after a cold day in the elements, I think we all crave the warmth of a hot cocoa wrapped in a blanket by the fire.
If you could perform this show anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Brutzenvien is a made-up place, but Germanic in feel, so Germany or a Nordic country. I think anywhere that experiences lots of snow would be unreal!
If budget or reality was not an issue, what’s the one piece of scenery/set you’d love to have in your show?
We have a whole “National Theatre” version of this show in our heads! It includes a revolve, special effects like fog, and maybe even flying… though I dread to think what the risk assessment would look like.
What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received during your career?
I had a teacher during my Acting BA, Dr. Jay, and he always used to say: “Hold on tightly, let go lightly.” We used that a lot during our devising process, but as I have moved through my career and worked on more projects, I find myself using it more and more. Hold on tightly to the things you believe in wholeheartedly, but be willing to let go of them the moment they don’t support the work or the room.
Are there any plans for what comes next after the show has finished its run?
We hope to take Fritz up and down the country (and even some trips abroad!). We are also printing a fully illustrated book of the show, drawn by the talented Alicia Jennings. With our ACE funding, we are aiming to run literacy and puppetry workshops in conjunction with the show.
Our thanks to Paige for her time. The Untold Fable of Fritz will play at Rosemary Branch Theatre on Sunday 16 August. It also plays at Bedford Fringe on Friday 24 July.
