About Me
I’m an American actor and writer, now based in North West London. As an actor, I've performed in professional and touring productions in the New York Area. Selected Credits include Rosalind in As You Like It (Hudson Shakespeare Co.), Holly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Brooklyn Heights), and Tess in Three Little Words (UK Premiere - Crescent Theatre). Crownless is the first play that I wrote while at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and is now featured in the ad for RBC post-graduate acting program.
This show will be my first time performing at the Edinburgh Fringe, and it’s an absolute dream come true.
About the Director
I’m so lucky to be collaborating with the brilliant Lise Olson, an award-winning director whose career spans over three decades in the US and UK. A freelance director, actor trainer and voice and dialect coach, she has many West End and regional theatre credits to her name. She trains actors at British drama schools, with long tenures at both Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where she was the director of MA Acting. Additional specialisations include Intimacy direction, vocal violence and acting through song.
This show marks her long awaited return to the Fringe, and I’m honored to work with her.
About the Play
What happens when the most famous ghost in literature refuses to be forgotten? Crownless is a bold new spin on Hamlet, narrated by the ghost of Hamlet’s father. He has a score to settle, but there’s just one problem: his only daughter isn’t very interested in helping. When Hamlet’s friends tell her that the ghost of her father is waiting for her in the garden - she takes a pass. But revenge is not something a king lets go of easily. So, in a desperate attempt to be heard, he haunts something that lingers close to her - her coat.
What begins as a demand for vengeance unravels into a fractured relationship exposed and forced into confrontation. Using actual text from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and blending it with contemporary female poetry, this one-woman show is a Hamlet fashioned in a whole new style.
Making its professional premiere at Edinburgh Fringe 2025 this summer with C-Arts, Crownless brings this ghost story to life with a minimalist set, just two characters, and the weight of unfinished business.
It’s for lovers of Shakespeare, haters of Shakespeare, poetry enthusiasts, supporters of feminism, and anyone who believes in fearless storytelling.
Why We Need Your Support
Bringing this play to the Edinburgh Fringe is a big undertaking, and we’re asking for your help to make it happen. Here’s what your contributions will go toward:
Venue Hire & Registration: Securing a space to perform is one of the biggest costs.
Accommodation & Travel: Getting to Edinburgh and staying there for almost two weeks during the festival.
Marketing: Printing flyers, posters, and running social media campaigns to share the show with as many people as possible.
Production Team: Supporting our incredible director and light/sound technicians, who are essential to bringing the play to life.
Contingency Fund: Preparing for any unexpected costs along the way.
Your support will allow us to create an unforgettable show and bring this story to audiences from all over the world.
Any donation of £25 or more will be rewarded with a personalized ghost picture. That could be you and a ghost, you as a ghost, or maybe multiple ghosts? You'll have to see...
Any donation of £100 or more will be rewarded with a personalized ghost picture, and a sonnet. Sadly, not written by Shakespeare, but by yours truly. The sonnet will be either handwritten and mailed to you, or performed and sent via video recording. Your choice!
Join Us on This Journey
This play is a love letter to poetry, Shakespeare, and the power of words. It’s about connection, redemption, and what it means to truly hear and be heard. We can’t wait to share it with you, and with the world at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Every little bit helps, whether it’s a donation of any size, or simply sharing this campaign with friends.
With gratitude,
Ashley