> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.gtv.blue/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Fringe Spotlight: Linus Karp was hit with an umbrella - URL: https://www.gtv.blue/awkward-productions/ - Published: 2026-08-04T23:01:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-05T07:58:39.000Z - Description: A new play from Awkward Productions, inspired by a real-life hate-crime. - Author: Gareth Johnson - Tags: Community We've long been fans of Linus Karp and Joseph Martin - the duo behind [Awkward Productions](https://linktr.ee/awkwardprods?ref=gtv.blue) and the creators of camp classics such as "Gwyneth Goes Skiing" and "Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story". Their latest show is [Linus Karp was hit with an umbrella](https://underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/event/linus-karp-was-hit-with-an-umbrella?ref=gtv.blue), which they are taking to Edinburgh Fringe. In July 2024, shortly before taking their hit show Gwyneth Goes Skiing to the Edinburgh Fringe, Linus Karp and Joseph Martin - a couple of eleven years - were walking through London holding hands when a man approached them, struck Linus across the head with an umbrella, and shouted homophobic slurs. Taking that incident as its starting point, this show follows everything that came after - the shock of the attack, the slow legal process that followed, and the emotional aftermath of being targeted for being visibly queer. We caught up with Linus for a behind-the-scenes look at the production. **⁠In moments of threat - such as a homophobic attack - our fight or flight or freeze instincts kick in. Were you surprised how you instinctively reacted in that moment?** I didn't actually react or do much in the moment. Joseph, however, was amazing. He chased after the attacker, tackled him to the ground and held him until the police arrived. I knew he was good in a crisis but how he handled himself on this day was nothing short of heroic. **⁠For queer people, Minority Threat Syndrome means that we're generally hyper-vigilant and anxiety-ridden, but in what we perceive to be safe spaces - such as Soho in London - we tend to let our guard down. Has the attack made it difficult for you to feel safe in spaces that are perceived to be queer-friendly?** Before the attack I was never really scared when out and about. As it happened in Soho, an area as you say I perceived as safe, I've lived with the feeling that I can be attacked anywhere in public. However safe and happy I feel, if someone walks by me, just a bit too close, or bumps into me, I suddenly feel an attack could be imminent. It's really been a challenge. **⁠Was there a lightbulb moment when you realised that you were ready to transform the experience of the attack into something theatrical?** I started writing soon after the incident, but for a long time I wasn't sure whether it was a show or just me processing. As I started sharing it with Joseph, he said: "This has to be your new show". It has been cathartic and I do feel like it's a story that needs sharing. But, more than that, it is a show and a live event that becomes bigger and more universal than just my singular story. I think it's important to say the show is not me processing trauma in front of an audience. **⁠In this production you imagine a courtroom drama - which was one of the highlights of Gwyneth Goes Skiing. Did you have to do a lot of research into how the legal system processes homophobic attacks, or is it leaning into the absurdity of puppets on trial?** Somehow, I always end up making shows around trials! I have done a lot of research into homophobic attacks and have spoken to other victims too. That said, I hope people don't come to the show for an accurate depiction of a trial! For that part of the show, the creative licence definitely takes over. **⁠What do you hope that people feel when they come to see Linus Karp Was Hit With An Umbrella?** I hope they feel like they will never hit a gay person with an umbrella. I also hope they feel a sense of community and especially queer joy. Despite its more serious topics, I think ultimately, this show is all about celebrating queer joy. [*Linus Karp Was Hit With An Umbrella is on at Underbelly Bristo Square and will run until 30 August.*](https://underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/event/linus-karp-was-hit-with-an-umbrella?ref=gtv.blue) ## Sign up for full access to G-TV Immerse yourself in the world of gay men. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Free to join. Unsubscribe anytime. [People need to know.Strip off and immerse yourself in the world of Naked Men Talking.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/40/c9/40c968bb-8d03-4cf4-ba55-f71b0f182d54/content/images/icon/favicon-47.ico)Naked Men TalkingGareth Johnson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/40/c9/40c968bb-8d03-4cf4-ba55-f71b0f182d54/content/images/thumbnail/AdobeStock_166177479-2.jpeg)](https://www.gtv.blue/people-need-to-know-7/)