Alex Owen-Hill
The Alien's Guide to
Talking to Humans
Have you ever felt out of place?
A ridiculous, uplifting exploration of the confusing universe of human interaction.
Inspired by social anxiety, neurodivergence and the strangeness of social rituals.
Choose-your-own-adventure silliness.
Simultaneously the most endearing and hilarious show we saw all week! A masterclass in improv comedy, immersive storytelling and comfortable audience interaction combine to something quite special.
George - Audience review - Edinburgh Fringe 2024
What is this show?
For Galactic Wanderers and Earthly Misfits
If you've ever felt like you're from another planet, trying to decode the complex signals of human interaction, this is your landing zone.
Exploring neurodivergence, social anxiety, and the dynamics of community, this show is perfect for anyone who's ever felt felt a bit out of place. No matter your galaxy of origin, "The Alien's Guide to Talking to Humans" offers you a home. Come as you are – no Earth passport required.
Mad and crazy show. Great stop for the solo fringe goer, lots of audience engagement. It feels like a hallucinated side quest which you will struggle to describe to your mates the next day. A warm environment emotionally and physically (the rooms at this venue get hot!). Weirdly it was still very touching, I left feeling great and also more friendly and hopeful. For those who need a mission to restore themselves in the overwhelming fringe atmosphere.
M Millar- Audience review - Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Why is communication so hard!?
Imagine crash-landing on a planet where everyone else seems to know the rules – except you…
"The Alien's Guide to Talking to Humans" takes you on a light-hearted expedition through the jungle of social cues and the oddity of trying to fit in.
Led by Alex Owen-Hill – voice coach, clown, improviser, and neurodivergence researcher – this show is a crash course in understanding the beauty and chaos of human interaction. Through improvised games, audience choices, and a generous helping of pure chaos, it's a celebration of everyone who's felt a little alien.
The cast of this one man show is fantastic. While the casting director (Alex) deserves much credit, I think the chemistry between him and the stage manager (Alex) and the Director (also Alex) was what brought this production to life.
I laughed throughout and continued to laugh randomly at parts I recalled the rest of the night. I also laughed the next morning while unsuccessfully trying to explain the show to my wife, who stared at me like I had offered her a glass of toilet wine.
If you really can't handle audience participation, then you should get over that before going to the show, because Alex (the Alien, not the costume designer) welcomed everyone into his world, orchestrated the absurdity into beautiful madness, and created a community that ranked much closer to Moo than Ehh.
Michael - Audience review - Edinburgh Fringe 2024
You teach the alien
No previous experience with human interaction required!
With our unique "choose-your-own-adventure" format, the audience guides our alien through the baffling world of human rituals.
Through inclusive, compassionate audience interaction, Alex's approach ensures that everyone – even those most wary of human contact – can enjoy the wonder of connection. It's not just a show; it's an experience that transforms the venue into a new community where everyone's idiosyncrasies are celebrated, making the strange familiar and the familiar strangely delightful.
Alex's show was like a surprise group therapy session that we all didn't know we needed! Alex is an awesome host who makes everyone feel super comfortable and gets everyone involved with zero judgment. We left the show feeling happier, friendlier, and with huge smiles on our faces. I even woke up the next day laughing about the song we created call Communal Eyeball.
Marisol - Audience review - Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Get a ticket today!
The show is a "pay what you can" at the Hoots @ Potterow in the Edinburgh festival 2025. That means you can buy a ticket up front to secure your seat, at a price you choose. Or, you can just turn up to the venue. Either way, there's a "bucket" after the show to pay what you feel it is worth!
There are only limited seats (it's intentionally a small room). So, to avoid you waiting in a line and then not getting in, it's a good idea to turn up in enough time!