Edinburgh Fringe preview: Joshua Hauville on Joshy in Paris

“Aussie comedian Joshua Hauville presents a spectacular comedy cabaret that shares the story of a gay Australian trying to make it as a creative superstar in the piss-ridden streets of Paris. Like Emily in Paris but gay and broke, told through a camp blend of stand-up, cabaret and clowny burlesque. After touring the show throughout Australia, Europe and the UK, this show is glitzier, grungier and gayer than ever. Join Joshy as he braves a slew of ridiculous scenarios. Will he triumph over Paris, or will France smoke this fag just like every other?”

Where: Coorie at Gilded Balloon Patter House

When: 5-31 Aug

Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/joshy-in-paris

What can you tell us about your show? What is it about and where did the idea come from?

Joshy in Paris was developed across 2024 when I was living in Paris for the second time in my life. I was following what I felt was an inner calling that made no logical sense: trying to be an artist (actor, comedian and writer) in a city that didn’t speak my first language and was full of strange, passive-aggressive grey cloudy vibes.

When I returned briefly to Australia for the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2025, I decided to assemble the material about living in Paris that I had been performing while living there in stand-up and theatre nights into one cohesive story.  

How would you sell it to audiences in one paragraph? 

It’s jam-packed full of energy, mixing stand-up and my own style of camp, clowny cabaret that unpacks the Hero Journey of a gay Aussie trying to become a creative superstar in the piss-ridden streets of Paris. It’s heartfelt and hilarious, showcasing that it’s the person you become along the journey that makes the pursuit of a dream all worth it. 

Both Parisians and rough Australians (my origins) are hilarious, clowny people, and this show beautifully blends the culture clash is a whole other level of hilarity – trying to find love, learn French, and find purpose never looked so glitzy and silly. 

Do you enjoy participating in the Fringe? And do you have any moments you particularly remember? 

This will be my first Edinburgh Fringe, but I have just done all the Australian Comedy Festivals, including Perth and Adelaide Fringe, and have great memories of just getting amongst the people. I take a big fat nasty speaker with me everywhere I go and play camp disco tunes while I hand out flyers in the street to attract the fun people to my show and scare away the homophobes. It’s been so fun to see people let their guard down, light up and dance with me out in the streets. Warms the soul. 

What are you looking forward to the most in Edinburgh? 

I am looking forward to just getting amongst it and connecting with new audiences, new networks of performers and new ways of sharing the story of the show. These festivals are amazing opportunities to test yourself and just connect with a whole new range of people. 

What’s next for the show?

I have been developing the French-language version of the show in Australia and want to tour that in France. More importantly, I have been developing a TV series idea that follows the same concept: a gay Aussie trying to make it as a creative in Paris: like Emily in Paris but gay, broke and Australian.

I made one of the 20-minute episodes as a short film last year, and have been re-drafting the pilot, episodes, and pitch over the past few years. So I am hoping to take the show from stage to screen as I develop it with my network in Paris and Australia.