Award-winning comedian, singer and actor Michelle Brasier is back at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2025 with her most personal and powerful show yet – It’s a Shame We Won’t Be Friends Next Year. Presented by Mick Perrin Worldwide and PBJ Management, this brutally funny and emotionally resonant hour blends music, comedy and a healthy dose of nostalgia.
The show’s title – We Won’t Be Friends – stems from a nine-word comment made by a boy in Michelle’s Year 6 class. His throwaway line stayed with her for decades, igniting a lifelong reflection on class, shame, worthiness and how a few careless words can shape our sense of self. Now, Brasier is turning that moment into a multi-layered, genre-bending performance that’s both deeply personal and universally relatable.
Part stand-up, part musical, part therapy session (with more laughs), It’s a Shame We Won’t Be Friends Next Year is a love letter to weird kids, drama teachers, misunderstood teens and anyone who’s ever tried to make themselves smaller to fit in. The show also tracks Michelle’s real-life attempts to reconnect – both with the boy from her childhood and a critic who once gave her a single scathing review. The result? Surprisingly wholesome.
Brasier’s powerhouse vocals take centre stage once again, joined onstage by her real-life partner and musical collaborator Tim Lancaster. From heart-wrenching ballads to explosive comedy songs, the show opens with the anthem I’d Really Like You to Like Me – setting the tone for a wild, honest ride through class, queerness, mental health, and even the Fast & Furious franchise.
Having already won over audiences in Melbourne, London and New York, Michelle Brasier brings We Won’t Be Friends to the Fringe following a string of critically acclaimed solo shows including Average Bear and Reform. Her blend of biting comedy and heartfelt vulnerability has made her one of the most original voices in comedy theatre today.
Michelle’s on-screen credits include Ghosts Australia, Koala Man, Aunty Donna’s Coffee Cafe (ABC), and Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell – and she’s soon to publish her memoir, My Brother’s Ashes Are in a Sandwich Bag, out in the UK this August.
If you like your comedy clever, chaotic and full of heart, It’s a Shame We Won’t Be Friends Next Year is unmissable.
️ Catch It’s a Shame We Won’t Be Friends Next Year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025 – venue and tickets here.
⭐ Past accolades include:
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Winner – Weekly Award, Adelaide Fringe (2025)
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Nominee – Best Production & Best Artist, Green Room Awards
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Winner – Directors’ Choice, Sydney Comedy Festival
“Musically rich, deeply personal and wildly funny – Michelle Brasier doesn’t miss.”
“A battle cry for the weird kids – and a reminder that words matter.”
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