Francesca Moody’s rule for finding hits at Edinburgh: don’t hunt for them

Moody looks for feeling, not formulas

Francesca Moody has a record of finding shows that go far—most visibly Fleabag and Baby Reindeer—by following taste rather than spreadsheets. At the Edinburgh Fringe she explained that trying to reverse-engineer a commercial success damages what she's trying to find. Moody said she's a producer who is led by gut: a "fizzy feeling" when something reads as exciting even if it's not fully formed.

Edinburgh as a marketplace and a lab

Moody's description of her earliest work with Phoebe Waller-Bridge is useful as a practical example. In late 2012 Waller-Bridge had about a page of material for what became Fleabag. Moody read it, felt excited, and took a venue at the Fringe despite the piece being incomplete. That decision set off a six-month period in which two producer-artist lessons hardened: trust is essential, and deadlines force creation.

• Trust: Moody invested in the artist's voice rather than trying to shape it to market expectations. She describes her role as supporting the creative process rather than steering it toward an obvious commercial outcome.
• Deadlines: A hard deadline pushed the work forward. Moody recounts locking Waller-Bridge in a room to keep writing when the script hadn't been completed a week before rehearsals.

Why commercial strategizing can backfire

Moody argues that choosing a project because you think it will be "super commercial" or immediately adaptable to television undermines the qualities that make it special. In her view, altering selection criteria to chase predictable outcomes can sterilize originality. She prefers projects where the creator's voice is clear and where she herself gets that instant sense of excitement.

What this means for creators and producers

For creators: prioritize clarity of voice and keep deadlines that force decisions. Early-stage, small performances at festivals are legitimate places to test ideas.

For producers: develop and trust your own taste. Use the Fringe as a place to observe reactions and to commit to works you believe in, even if they aren't finished. Be prepared for stress—Moody's story shows that risk-taking in pursuit of originality is often messy.

Moody's approach is not a formula for hits but a method for increasing the chances of discovering distinctive work: follow instinct, build a relationship of trust with creators, impose deadlines that catalyze completion, and accept the anxiety that comes with backing unfinished, risky projects.