A raucous, boundary-pushing comedian, Melissa McGlensey
now brings her latest work to the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe
Festival. McGlensey, who has been described as “a voice of
wonder” by Corr Blimey, “smart, funny, bold and fearless”
by Lilithia Reviews and “A truly funny and likable
entertainer” by Beat Magazine, is fresh off a successful,
Award-winning, rave-reviewed run of her brand new show
Motorboat at Adelaide Fringe.

In Mel McGlensey is Motorboat, McGlensey sets off in a new direction by artfully mixing clown, physical
comedy, burlesque and character improv to bring you the silliest, sexiest, naughty and nautical show ever
made about someone who is part woman and part boat.
“Motorboat is an entire show born out of a stupid, silly little bit I started doing while studying at clown
school in France,” explains McGlensey. “I got onstage and pretended to be a boat that needed the audience’s
help to ‘start my motor.’ Crowds loved it. I ended up doing it atspots all over Edinburgh Fringe 2023. It was so
popular that people began calling me the ‘Motorboat Mel’ and quoting my own bits back to me. I decided to
make an entire hour-long show out of it and here we are. I can’t wait to bring Motorboat back to Edinburgh,
where it all began.”
Directed by award-winning theatre maker, physical comedian, cabaret chanteuse and director Sharney Nougar
(Two Little Dickheads, ‘Smashed Arvo’). Sharney was the Inspiration Award Winner of Prague Fringe 2014
(Performer/Creator), Best Comedy Show at Perth Fringe 2018 (Director) and Best Musical Direction Green
Room Award Winner (Performer/Devisor) for the show Glittergrass.
Melissa McGlensey is a writer (The Onion, Reductress) and comedian (Soothplayers: Improvised Shakespeare,
The Big HooHaa, The Briefing) who relocated from the US to Melbourne in 2016. She has studied, performed,
and taught improv and stand-up comedy all over the world. Her work is often political, absurd, silly and
interactive. Motorboat is her clown debut, following her recent studies at renowned clown school, Ecole
Philippe Gaulier in France.
Book Here! Mel McGlensey is Motorboat | Comedy | Edinburgh Festival Fringe (edfringe.com)
Mel McGlensey Is Motorboat is on tour! Tickets on sale for Hollywood Fringe, London Clown Fest and Edinburgh Fringe***