Harry Ainsworth on The Other 41 at Etcetera Theatre
After the success of our 2025 Camden Fringe Interviews, 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.
What do you get when you mix deep memory exploration, intense medical bureaucracy, four chairs, and a looming STI test? You get The Other 41, a sharp new tragi-comedy making its festival debut at the historic Etcetera Theatre for Camden Fringe 2026.
Written, directed by, and starring Harry Ainsworth, the production is a masterclass in fringe minimalism. What started as a tiny 13-minute one-person monologue has transformed over a year of development into a full-length, multi-character journey through the vulnerable, ridiculous, and terrifying moments of modern health scares.
We sat down with Harry and cast member Owen Carter to talk about the show’s massive evolution, the art of playing someone the audience is supposed to hate, and why this entire production is ultimately a love letter to the chaos of Kingston Hospital.
If you had to describe the vibe of The Other 41 in just one sentence, what would it be and how does it look on stage?
Harry: A tragi-comedic exploration of memory, with a potential STI chucked in for good measure. It manifests on stage in four chairs, four actors, and a bottle of wine.
Why is 2026 the perfect moment for this show to finally step into the spotlight?
Harry: 2026 is the result of over a year of non-stop writing, workshopping, and creating this show. The Other 41 has grown significantly in length, it’s had three entirely different casts, and it has cut its teeth in two small, experimental (and thankfully free!) venues. I absolutely cannot wait to show everyone the final, polished result.
The play has gone through a massive transformation since you first put pen to paper. How does the current version compare to the original idea?
Harry: While the core plot has changed a little bit, mainly growing and evolving, the show itself is nearly unrecognisable from the first draft. The script originally began as a one-person show, meant to be performed strictly in the round, and was only 13 minutes long. Expanding that into the current dynamic ensemble piece feels like a massive, rewarding progression.
What have the individual performers brought to the table that completely caught you off guard?
Harry: Every single member of our cast has brought something entirely different, incredible, and completely fresh to their roles, and in some cases, multiple roles. Emma Wedge brings so much underlying strength and deep compassion to her role as Susie.
Owen Carter brings all the sharp comedic relief anyone could ever need to his role as Dr. Phil, balanced with a wonderful understanding to his role as the Therapist. Meanwhile Tamara Mulaki, our newest cast member, has already given the character of Kate a level of profound vulnerability that the role has simply never had before.
Owen, what was it like stepping into this world, and what do you enjoy most about your character?
Owen (Dr. Phil / Therapist): I thoroughly enjoyed how flat-out ridiculous my character is! Bringing a bit of pure comedy into this kind of show is very fun. I also deeply enjoy getting to be a bit of a bad person on stage for a little bit. Being someone the audience is actively meant to watch and hate is extremely rewarding, especially when you manage to execute it correctly!
Fringe theatre requires quick setups and minimal staging. How have you built five distinct settings using almost nothing? Harry:
We are very proud of the fact that our physical set consists of exactly four chairs and a handful of select props. With just those elements, we have successfully created nine different characters and five completely distinct settings.
Our biggest solution to a minimal festival set is using symbolic clothing choices layered over a uniform, all-black outfit. A quick costume adjustment combined with the precise movement of a single chair can instantly show the audience that a character is entering or exiting a room, sitting behind an invisible curtain, or navigating a massive time jump.
Who would play you in the Hollywood adaptation of your future autobiography?
Harry: “Well, I’ve been told multiple times that I look exactly like Sue Perkins. So I say, give her a shot at the role!”
If The Other 41 was a love letter to a specific person, place, or experience, what would it be?
Harry: This show is undeniably a loud, frantic love letter to every insane STI test anyone has ever had to sit through in their life. Massive shout out to Kingston Hospital; thanks, guys!
(Though if budget or reality were no object, Harry admits he would immediately buy a fully authentic doctor’s examination table and bed for the stage. Wheels, fully adjustable panels, stirrups—the absolute works.)
If budget or reality was not an issue, what’s the one piece of scenery/set you’d love to have in your show?
A doctor’s table/bed. Wheels, adjustable, stirrups, the works.
What does “success” look like for you this August, beyond just selling out tickets?
Harry: As a writer, director, and actor, this project marks my very first fringe festival and stands as a massive milestone in my life. The exact same is true for a lot of my cast members. For me, true “success” is simply the act of performing this show, something that I have entirely created from scratch, in a real London Theatre, fulfilling this lifelong dream alongside some truly amazing people.
Many thanks to Harry and Owen for their time. The Other 41 plays at Etcetera Theatre on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 August.
