So Edinburgh is over (still waiting for the only two reviewers I got to publish their reviews, though!) , and I've been at home, applying for jobs and generally festering.
Enter the memory of a theatre degree long forgotten.
I mean it's only been three months. But still.
Anyway, I mentioned a few blog posts back about creating and performing a play at some point, with an eye on next year's Edinburgh Fringe (not before doing the Buxton Fringe again because that was a great time), and now I've got around to planning it. What I visualise is a verbatim play, where I create an hour-long track from the audio recordings of loads of different people, of all ages, classes, races etc., and listen to it through headphones onstage, relaying it to the audience. The playwright Alecky Blythe popularised this, and I'm keen to try it myself, even though she won't follow my friend Anna back on Instagram.
As with any play of this nature, I need to curate some responses to a series of questions I've drawn up. If you follow me on social media, you may have seen a callout for this, but if you've missed it, here it is again.
But I realise that it is difficult to explain everything in 36 words, and this is what this blog is kind of about. If you've already emailed, you are amazing, and you probably know all of this information anyway, but if you're on the fence about whether to get involved, here's a bit more context about what it entails:
- I've drawn up three sets of 10 questions, which participants need to record their vocal responses to, and then email them to me. The questions range from deep to shallow to silly (there's a set for drag performers, a set for fringe performers, and a general set for everyone else!), and there's no pressure to be groundbreaking or change the world with your responses. I'm mainly exploring gender, drag, and mine and others' experiences at this year's Edinburgh Fringe, but I'm also looking to hear your responses to topics such as music and comedy, so it's not all heavy and taxing.
- I will use these to create the aforementioned track, which I will listen to through headphones on stage, and repeat, with every 'um', 'er' and verbal quirk left intact. The audience won't hear this, and all responses will be anonymised.
- Whilst I am known more for my comedy, this will be a straight(ish) play. Obviously there will be some funny moments, but it's not stand-up in any sense. Likewise, I'm not making this into some form of lip-sync where I take the piss out of your responses with intermittent Cher/memes/whatever. Like I said, the audience won't hear your voice.
- It won't take much time out of your day - there's no upper or lower limit, and you can be as waffly or as succinct as you like. The responses I've had in so far (thank you thank you if you've sent yours in!) range from about 4-18 minutes.
- Obviously some editing will occur - maybe I'll use a ten-second clip of your response, or maybe it'll form the overarching narrative, who can say? - and you're always free to retract any or all of your response at any time. I have consent forms and I'm treating all information with sensitivity and confidentiality - bet you never thought you'd hear a drag queen say that, did you? (Technically you didn't hear it and I didn't say it but just go with it)
- Regardless of anything, no matter what you say, what makes it into the final play, anything, I'll be very grateful to you if you do decide to respond.
If you fancy giving it a go, please do put your email in the box below, and I'll send you the questions, the consent form, and all information about the play. I have three sets of questions, one for drag performers, one for Edinburgh Fringe performers, and one that is a more general one if you don't fit into either of those two categories.
Also, please feel free to share this with anyone you think might be interested! Like I said before, I'm trying to get as wide a range of responders as possible, so share this post far and wide!
Thank you.
Kate Butch xo