Seven Crazy Dramaturgies: Holly Morgan @ Edfringe 2017

SEVEN CRAZY BITCHES

Created and Performed by

Holly Morgan

Directed by

Lisa Millar and Esh Alladi

Edinburgh Fringe

Assembly Hall

3-4 Aug, Preview Performances

19:00 £6

5-13, 15-27 Aug

19:00 £9

Take Shakespeare’s ‘Seven Ages of Man’, put it in a variety of cheap wigs, teach it the juke box of a regional gay bar, roll it in a whole lot of glitter, and- with the help of a friend -you have Holly Morgan’s righteous and outrageous show, Seven Crazy Bitches.

Resigned to his designated box,

Shakespeare himself (or rather, Tom Moores) must watch while Morgan, with sass and charm, playfully interacts with the audience and casually rips apart and puts back together his meanings and words with the world’s leading divas.

What was the inspiration for this performance? 

I'd been hung up on the idea of doing a female-centric version of the 'Seven Ages of Man' speech from As You Like It for a while. I thought the idea of dividing a woman's life up into the same segments was really interesting. I wanted to do something which celebrated female eccentricity, individuality and creativity...and I wanted to do that while singing Cher songs in a crap wig!

Is performance still a good space for the public discussion of ideas? 

Unfortunately, we still have to combat this weird 1970s attitude towards female comedy. The only way to challenge the 'woman can't be funny' stereotype is to call it out in performance. Oh, and being funny while you do it definitely helps.

How did you become interested in making performance?

I grew up in Camden in North London, where, somewhat bizarrely, there was a town crier. I was adamant that that was what I wanted to be when I grew up! There doesn't seem to be a formal route to becoming a town crier, so this is as close as I've got so far to fulfilling that ambition.

Is there any particular approach to the making of the show?

Budget: I don't have one! I have tried to have make a virtue out of having no money, so my show has a distinctly 'Make/Do/Mend/Buy it in Pound land' aesthetic.

Does the show fit with your usual productions?

This is the first show I've ever written! I had a semi successful career in straight theatre in my twenties, so this is quite a departure.

What do you hope that the audience will experience?

I want them to have a great time! I celebrate the work of some of the most iconic female performers of all time but quite a few audience members may not know that specific diva's repertoire particularly, or their story, so I hope that people enjoy that aspect. 

What strategies did you consider towards shaping this audience experience?

My show features some audience interaction. I hate audience interaction when I'm being interacted with, so I've tried to find ways to involve everyone without producing cold, hard terror! 

Join this Edinburgh Festival Fringe first-timer, The Diva on a Budget, as she ‘guides’ you through the Seven Ages of Woman using only the best cardboard props and finest questionable impressions. Pit stops include seduction techniques via Kate Bush, an interview with the woman who lived in Prince’s head and finding out just how many 2p pieces a man can insert up his foreskin. This is Stand Up Comedy Cabaret (Standaret? Cabedy?) as you've never seen it before, because The Diva’s pretty sure that she just invented it…

After a sell-out run at the VAULT Festival, underneath Waterloo Station in London, this (literal) underground success is ready to storm new cities with her off-brand and off-colour sense of humour in this feminist fancy-dress quest to finally hit the wig time.