US-based, British comedian Isabella Charlton makes her Edinburgh Fringe debut at the Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose. Her show ‘So My Dad F*cked The Nanny’, tells the story of a steamy affair and the ensuing aftermath.
Isabella has been diagnosed with ADHD and has endometriosis that has been causing her crippling pain. Doctors advised her to get pregnant as that will make the endometriosis go away; however, she wasn’t in a relationship, so her mother persuaded her to freeze her eggs in case that never happens. Isabella then decides to use dating apps, but keeps it a secret from her mother, using A.I. to write all her messages….
Her relationship with her mother is in many ways too close and she feels she does not have good boundaries with her. Isabella is plagued with guilt whenever she goes against her mother. Why does her mother have this hold on her? It might be something to do with her dad…
After Isabella’s grandfather dies, she goes to his house and finds her parents’ divorce papers, which reveal things she never knew. Find out more in the show...
Isabella Charlton grew up in Hong Kong and attended a Chinese school. She has worked as a lawyer, banker, and broadcast journalist at TVB in Hong Kong. She then started acting professionally in Beijing, where her fluency in Mandarin Chinese got her cast in numerous movies and TV shows. She was a main character on a Chinese TV series called ‘Dragon Train’ directed by YingDa. Isabella also performed in theatre productions at Beijing National Theatre and toured Taiwan with a professional production of ‘Macbeth’ in Chinese.
She has performed stand up in Los Angeles at the Comedy Store, Improv, and the Laugh Factory, the latter where she was chosen to be one of their Laugh Factory Fresh Faces in 2018 & 2019. She’s appeared at the She-Devil Festival in New York, the Big Sky Comedy Festival in Montana, the Seattle International Comedy Festival, the Boston Women in Comedy Festival and the Laughing Skull Festival in Atlanta. She has performed comedy also in Hong Kong, Germany & the UK. Isabella has had multiple appearances on the Kill Tony Podcast live. Isabella acted in and written for numerous sketch comedy live shows and online sketches.
Isabella Charlton’s ‘So, My Dad F*cked The Nanny’ is at the Gilded Balloon @ The Patter Hoose – Blether at 9.40pm, for tickets go to www.edfringe.com
What is the last thing you do before you go onstage (apart from check your flies and/or check your knickers aren't sticking out of your skirt and check for spinach between your teeth)
I read this as check your knickers aren’t stinking out of your skirt. I definitely do that. Normally I just try and listen to the person on stage before me, laugh very loud at their jokes (to warm up my voice and spike my endorphins), and try to relax and be in the moment.
What irritates you?
When people don’t go the extra mile for me. Or don’t do everything for me. And I have to be a responsible adult and do things myself. Being a proper grown up is so demanding. And there’s no one to blame when things go wrong, but yourself. It’s so irritating…
What is the most dangerous thing you have ever done?
I like climbing buildings. This started as a young child when I would climb bamboo scaffolding any chance I got. I only like climbing things you’re not meant to climb. No safety harnesses for me.
What is the most stupid thing you have ever done?
I once applied for a job in Sydney Australia and called it Sidney all over the cover letter. I got the job because of nepotism. Just kidding, I never heard back.
What has surprised you the most during your career in comedy?
How hard it was to get anything resembling good or passable. Shouldn’t it take like 5 minutes?
Interview continues here
