EDINBURGH 2023: Claire Woolner Q&A

BWW caught up with Claire Woolner to chat about bringing A Retrospection to the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about A Retrospection.

A Retrospection is an absurdist clown confessional about dealing with the (I'll say it: ridiculously violent) struggle between authentic expression and the inner critic that seeks to annihilate and ultimately (hopefully) about accepting, nay, unapologetically celebrating(!) who we truly are, even if it's different than who we think we "should" be.  For me, I am someone born and raised in Los Angeles amongst the rich and the famous, who always loved performing, who has a somewhat strange point of view and who is very bad at the networking, the the self-promotion, knowing the right things to say and wear.  For years I have worked hard to be and do all the things I thought I needed to succeed, but alas, I'm not a person who knows how to plot and plan; I'm a person with enormous heart who feels deeply and who tries. and fails. and tries again, with my entire soul no matter what.  I am a fool, a clown, and it's much more fun to be that than to hate myself for not being something else.  

How important is the presentation of the show to the storytelling?

The presentation is everything! The show uses absurdist props and visuals ('swimming' across the stage in a 'lake'---also known as a plastic bowl of water) to save my grandmother's melting spine, loneliness played out through physical intimacy between myself and the audience separated by a pane of glass, and a beautiful perhaps frightening fist fight with myself.  The audience interaction shapes the show so, though the show is set and the props abound, there is space to respond and move with what is happening in the actual room, making each show unique and relevant to the individual energy of that audience.

How has it been received so far?

To my surprise, it has been received incredibly well.  I just premiered the show at The Hollywood Fringe Festival, where the show was awarded WINNER for Top of the Fringe (Best Show Overall), Platinum Medal, Pick of the Fringe, Encore Producer's Award (for three sold out performances which were moved to a larger theater to accommodate audience interest), and a Nomination for Best Solo Performance.  It's truly shocking. 
Where else might we know you from?

What would you like audiences to take away from the show?

Be your truest self and f*c^&ing CELEBRATE it!  There is no right way to do this thing called life, and in fact, the theres a large possibility that the things we have been taught are "right" are just some belief system that is much more absurd than the sh*t you will see me do onstage, which, trust me, is dippy as can be (yet, of course, incredibly beautiful and meaningful).  And also, the critical voice can be destroyed by smashing fruit, and possibly veg, down your own gullet. 

Tickets available here: 

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