EDINBURGH 2017: BWW Q&A- Yvette
By: Natalie O'Donoghue Jul. 18, 2017
Tell us a bit about your show?
I had many inspirations for the performance, the storyline itself is based loosely around my own experience. I had read and seen two one-woman shows (chewing gum dreams and Bitch Boxer) where the staging and style of writing felt unique and engaging and I wanted for my piece to have that feeling to. I think I wanted to write myself to a place of healing, but soon figured that I couldn't. What I actually needed to write was the truth about where I was at.
One of the the things I wanted to explore most in the show was a sense of vulnerability and emotional nudity, and so the devising process was hard for me but truly beneficial for the show that we created through it. I want people who have been through what I went through to be inspired by this show to reclaim their lives and rise from it.
Why bring it to Edinburgh?
Edinburgh is the most eclectic arts festival running and this the perfect place to share my debut piece. Edinburgh audiences are up for anything and I hope I've got something new and unique to show them. I also think it's a festival that's not afraid to talk about the big, difficult stuff in life. Yvette is playful and funny, but it also tackles some big issues head on.
There are more victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking every day. I feel my show doesn't just make you look at it with a quick glance, but makes you see what takes to be vulnerable, then have someone take advantage of that. I also wanted to point about that children maybe children but they know about more things that a child their age should. I wanted the racial politics that exists within the black community. The fact we as community still value ourselves buy the standard of the brown paper bag like slavery ingrained us to. Also the topic of forgiveness and what it means to forgive especially in such a traumatising situation is something worth being discussed.
What sets it apart from other shows at the Fringe?
The use of spoken word and original music carries the narrative in a unique way. I use vocal loop pedal live on stage, not just to make the music but also to loop themes in the poetry. The arch of the story also sets the show apart - Yvette is an incredibly relatable character - aged 13, full of life with her rapping, singing, dancing and overall naivety especially when it comes to boys. She embodies what it was like to be that age, but also carries this immense strength and power when it comes to talking about the difficult experiences in her life.
Who would you recommend comes to see your show?
I would recommend everyone come and see this show really, especially women and young girls. The story is so universal that I feel no matter your gender you find something in it that speaks whether it be the comedic elements or the relationships between each character. Basically, anyone who loves honest theatre and loves a garage beat should come and see Yvette.
Are there any other performances you're hoping to catch at the festival?
I'm looking forward to catching 'offiside' in the pleasance above, written by leading spoken word artists Sabrina Mahfouz and Hollie McNish. I'm Huge fan of both there works n fact Sabrina Mahfouz a mentor of mine, I relate to the honesty of her writing style and I've heard great things! I also look forward to catching 'Leaf' and 'Buzz' both East 15 Alumni shows coming from the BA Acting & Contemporary theatre course. They're both great shows that I have seen but I look forward to seeing how further they have developed since.
Timings and ticket information for Yvette are available on the edfringe website.
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