According to Google, Eva’s boobs weigh the same as two-and-a-half bottles of tequila, two bricks, or the average newborn baby.
That’s quite a weight to have on your back, metaphorically, not to mention physically, but after navigating through misogynistic medical standards, a breast reduction on the NHS is just a bust.
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?
I’m Eva, I’m a playwright and performer, and I have massive boobs; They’re 38K to be exact, they weigh the same as 2 bricks and my show is all about them!
I’ve Got Some Things To Get Off My Chest is a comedic one-woman show all about my experience of misogynistic medical stands while I was going through a referral process for a breast reduction on the NHS. It’s also a wider exploration of how female health care is under-funded, under-researched and under-supported.
Tell us about the creative team and process involved?
We have an all-female creative team which has been amazing and the process has been very collaborative. Marieke Audsley is directing and she is supported by resident director Constance Eldon McCaig, who worked with me in developing the original script.
The script was really our starting point, we all sat down and really interrogated it, pulling apart and putting it back together again – I think I did about 7 different drafts. Once we cracked that, it was a case of getting the play up on its feet and because it’s been such a supportive environment, I feel empowered to experiment with my performance which has led to some really fun discoveries.
Although the play has a serious heart, humour was so important to me as I navigated my experience and so I wanted laughter to be a central part of I’ve Got Some Things To Get Off My Chest. Marieke has lots of experience with comedy and has such a great eye for pulling out comedic moments and balancing these with the more serious parts of the play.
How does it feel coming to the Fringe?
I’m a huge Fringe fan, I absolutely love it and I’ve been lucky enough to experience the Fringe in a few different variations! The first time, I was 16 years old and performed in a play with my school and another year I worked front-of-house too. My last Fringe was in 2019 with Constance, bringing a new piece we had co-written, Salmon, which was also my first producing experience.
I’ve been desperate to return since then, so I’m absolutely thrilled to be back! It really is such a special space for creatives, it’s full of energy and inspiration – even when it’s crazy and stressful, that’s all part of it! This is the first time I’ll be performing for the whole month and it’s definitely a little bit daunting but I’m really proud of the show and excited to share it with audiences.
There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?
I’ve Got Some Things To Get Off My Chest really captures the best of the Fringe in one show. It’s got comedy, social commentary, drama, storytelling and it’s also quick and funny, with a great performance (she says, modestly!)
Is there anything specific you’re hoping for the audience to take away?
I’d like audiences to start talking; Sharing experiences is incredibly powerful, both to stop anyone
from feeling isolated but also because it empowers people to advocate for their health. Healthcare is a very personal experience, but we need to open a dialogue about how marginalised communities are suffering because of inequalities within our healthcare system. We are so lucky to have our amazing NHS, but I hope that by opening up an honest conversation about medical discrimination, we can improve the experience for everyone.
Your ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t there…
Firstly this is a play to raise women’s voices because we are statistically still more likely to be misdiagnosed during heart attacks than men. However really it’s for anyone who feels they’ve been let down by doctors or healthcare systems. I also think there is lots for people to learn from and I am striving to create a piece that could have a productive and inclusive conversation. There isn’t anyone I wouldn’t want there…although there’s a few bits I’ve encouraged my parents to block their ears for!
It’s an intense month, so where you’re able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?
I’m a theatre kid so getting to see shows is really the only way I want to spend my time off! FBOMB Theatre have created an amazing guide for work created by women and people of marginalised genders, FemiFringe, which I will definitely be using, and I’m looking forward to their show, The Beatles Were a Boyband.
Also, the first year I was at the Fringe one of my favourite performances was Ontroerend Goed’s Fight Night, so I’m so excited to see that they’re back with a new piece – Funeral – which I will definitely be at!
In your ideal world, how can we improve the world of the Fringe, of performance, and the industry?
There’s always more room in the industry to promote marginalised voices – the Fringe is such an amazing space to experiment, play and be discovered but we need to make sure that this is accessible to everyone, which at its core does mean more funding and more cost control of the Fringe.
I also feel we need greater support and promotion of artists from the Fringe sector into larger-scale work, because there’s so much exciting talent, a really wide mix of work and lots of different artists being represented at the Fringe, but I don’t always feel this is mirrored in other areas of the industry.
