From Horrid Henry to hard-hitting theatre: Scarlett Stitt’s bold Fringe debut
London-based actor and artist Scarlett Stitt is bringing her formidable presence to the Edinburgh Fringe this summer in Cara and Kelly are Best Friends Forever For Life, a powerful new play by Bruntwood and Women’s Prize longlisted playwright Mojola Akinyemi. With a career spanning over a decade—from her early days as Moody Margaret in Horrid Henry alongside Anjelica Huston and Richard E. Grant, to award-winning solo shows and her work as a drag collective leader—Scarlett’s dynamic range and fearless creativity continue to mark her as a standout talent.
A graduate of RADA and a product of renowned training institutions including the National Youth Theatre, Young Pleasance, and Lecoq, Scarlett seamlessly balances professional acting with her own artistic projects. She recently penned her first full-length play with support from Soho Theatre and has won both an Offie Commendation and Audience Choice Award for her acclaimed show Kissing A Fool. Beyond theatre, Scarlett leads the drag collective HAUS OF INTRUSIVE THOTS and is a graduate of the Soho Theatre Drag & Cabaret Lab, demonstrating her versatility and commitment to boundary-pushing work.
In Cara and Kelly are Best Friends Forever For Life, Scarlett takes on the role of Cara, one half of a close-knit teenage duo navigating the complicated and often unsettling realities of friendship, loyalty, and embedded racism. Set in 2013 amidst the cultural backdrop of Charli XCX and One Direction, the play offers a sharp and unflinching look at the subtle, pervasive racism that can exist within everyday interactions—especially those among young people growing up in majority-white spaces.
The play’s exploration of complicity and denial is as unsettling as it is necessary. Directed by Ilona Sell and produced by Hannah Samuel-Ogbu, the production invites audiences to confront uncomfortable truths through a narrative that is as darkly comic as it is chilling. Scarlett’s portrayal of Cara brings nuance to a character wrestling with inherited prejudices and the pressure to belong, challenging viewers to reflect on their own role in society’s ongoing conversations about race.
Scarlett Stitt’s commitment to truthful storytelling and her fearless engagement with complex themes make her a vital voice in contemporary theatre. Cara and Kelly are Best Friends Forever For Life promises to be a thought-provoking and emotionally charged highlight of the Fringe, with Scarlett’s performance at its heart.
Cara and Kelly are Best Friends Forever For Life is on at 15:20 at Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker 3), from Wednesday 30th July to Monday 25th August 2025 (not 18th). Book tickets at: www.pleasance.co.uk/event/cara-and-kelly-are-best-friends-forever-life
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