I have been acting for thirteen years. I love my job. It’s my passion. But it’s also so frustrating that so often I can’t do it. Not enough work. Too many actresses, not enough parts. When I am on stage or on screen, I feel alive. I love connecting with an audience and telling a story. It affirms for me what it means to be human. So I am a huge advocate of the “create your own work” mentality. From 2012-2014 I co-ran a theatre company called “MyLovely Productions”. We focussed on telling women’s stories and creating more opportunities for women on stage and screen.
Stupid Cupid by Tom Webb
When that company came to a natural end (my co-founder was returning to University to get her Masters), in a way I felt like I was back to square one.
At the same time, I was going through a bit of a rocky patch with my partner.
“What is Love anyway?”, I kept asking myself. Trying to find answers. It was then that the character Stupid Cupid came to me. She’s funny, of course because I think it’s important to not take yourself too seriously, and the answers always seem to be in kindness, graciousness and humour: thus Stupid Cupid was born!
I wanted to explore Love. And Sex. What relationship did they have to one another? What does women’s sexuality mean these days and what happens when it appears on stage in front of an audience. There is no place more vulnerable then standing alone on stage. I was excited to explore Love in all its glory. I had so many ideas, for different types of love, aspects of love that I wanted to explore in my play! Plus I just wanted to get back on stage and to be doing what I love most, what I was trained to do; to tell stories and connect with people.
I teamed up with two of my good friends, who are writers and also happen to be married Kerianne Cameron and Miguel Eichelberger (they know all about love) to help me write it. It was incredible because we were really able to workshop ideas, brainstorm and collaborate on a play in a way that I have never done before. Plus Cupids are a HUGE topic! It helped to bounce ideas around and figure out our Cupid’s journey together.
James Wren, the Artistic Director of Unrestricted View Theatre then came on board to direct it. I was over the moon when he agreed to be involved, as I didn’t think he’d be interested in directing a one woman show at the fringe level. Turns out a great script can get you far!
Intertwined through it all, is comedy, because life and love is funny. Plus it’s how I deal with things and I think the world could use a little more joy at the moment. So I hope that audiences enjoy the play, that they laugh and if they want, they can dig a little deeper and get more out of it too. Because Stupid Cupid is all about being true to yourself, loving your self and through that finding a person who shares that love.
Stupid Cupid is on at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from August 1st-27th (not 13th)
Tickets http://www.underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/whats-on/stupid-cupid
Tagged in Edinburgh Festival Fringe