Scaredy’s working the late shift at the cinema. Tonight’s schedule? The horror-movie sexual awakenings of yesteryear. Stuffed with steamy recollections of Carrie and Candyman, Scaredy should be in ecstasy but evil horror host Count Calories keeps cutting in on the fun.
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?
I am a lifelong character actress turned wannabe cabaret star, Colm McCready. Along with the fabulous SkelpieLimmer (of EdFringe hit Two Fingers Up fame) we are bringing my first solo show Scaredy Fat to Pleasance Dome!
Fat, queer and turned on by fear, usherette Scaredy is screening the horror movie sexual awakenings of Yesteryear. But evil horror host Count Calories keeps cutting in on the fun. Scaredy must face the less-than-perfect fat representation in their favourite films in order to survive the night…or at least until their next meal.
We’ve got possession lip-synching, monstrous background singers and all the sexy séances a little closeted monster could dream of.
Tell us about the creative team and process involved?
I was an Artist At Work with Dublin Fringe 2022 and invited dream team Seón Simpson and Gina Donnelly (SkelpieLimmer) to help me develop the show. Connoisseurs of culchies (Irish country folk) and horror movies, they were delighted to take Scaredy Fat on as their second production and to name me as their first Associate Artist.
My Scaredy Fat mood board cried for an extremely talented creative team so I gathered my gay and gal in crime Fergus Wachala-Kelly and Níamh Kearney to give my creation life! As a lover of all things camp, Níamh instantly envisioned Scaredy’s usherette uniform and hand-created a stunning costume that I couldn’t be prouder of. And how do you solve a problem like the biggest rides in horror? And a campy Monster Mash parody with femme horror icons as background singers? Only Fergus knows how! His ooky spooky hand-drawn animations really tie the show together.
From then on it was just pure craic. We all created this out of our own pockets and on our own time in-between work. I could weep knowing how much the team believe in the show and that has been the driving force in its success. We developed, rehearsed, and eventually won The LET Award and The Pleasance Edinburgh National Partnership with Lyric Theatre Belfast.
How does it feel coming to the Fringe?
It’s like Christmas coming early. Santa’s here early. I’m ecstatic. I think it’s because I know I’m in the safest of hands. The team have all been through the fringe with previous work, they’ve survived it, they’ve karaoked till the cows came home. So, the fear hasn’t really hit yet.
The getting there has been shaky. With no support from the government, it’s a real testament to SkelpieLimmer, local artists, audiences, and the support from our families. They’ve all banded together to raise funds and come out in support for the show over the last few months to make sure we get over. As Northern Irish artists we deserve to be recognised as strong international players amongst the best at fringe.
I can’t wait to get in, tear the place asunder.
There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?
The number of blisters I have from wearing heels.
It’s Northern Irish, it’s unashamedly loud, camp and queer, using a ridiculous love of horror to ask what it means to love a genre that doesn’t love you back. Scaredy Fat has the perfect weight (ayyy?) of absurd comedy that doesn’t take itself seriously and a heartfelt narrative exploring family and rural community.
As SkelpieLimmer say, serious theatre doesn’t have to feel serious. So c’mon with us to the movies and have one hell of a night…if you dare!
Is there anything specific you’re hoping the audience will take away?
Mmm. Takeaway.
I want audiences to leave feeling empowered, entertained, and riddled with a deep nostalgia for the days of video shops.
I want people to understand that fat bodies are more than capable of simply existing happily without fear. These unprovoked projections onto our bodies and assumptions about our lifestyles — keep it to yourselves, I didn’t ask babe.
Your ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t there…
Judy Garland is not there for obvious reasons. But Cher is and she tells me after the show she didn’t understand a word of it but she loves my energy.
Scaredy Fat is for the gays, the gals and the ghoulies. But everyone is welcome to Scaredy’s little cinema. We cater to horror fans, queer theatre lovers and all the big, bodied babes out there up for the craic.
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?
As much as I love to lie down you’ll definitely catch us after the show hogging some mic at a karaoke bar.
There’s a great cohort of Northern Irish work heading over (that you can read more about here: https://artscouncil-ni.org/news/spotlight-on-theatre-and-dance-from-ni-at-edinburgh-fringe) so I’ll definitely be checking those out, especially The Half Moon by Alice Malseed who are on right before us at JackDome (Scaredy Moon double bill anyone?).
I’ve a list of all the classwork I wanna check out. Creepy Boys by Scantily Glad Theatre and Lachlan Werner’s Voices of Evil sound like campy satanic hoots so I’ll be front row. I’d also recommend Lie Low by Ciara Elizabeth Smyth, Tom Moran is a Big Fat Filthy Disgusting Liar and Frigid by Rosa Bowden which were Dublin Fringe hits last year!
In your ideal world, how can we improve the world of the Fringe, of performance, and the industry?
It needs to be more accessible first and foremost. We’re lucky to be going with the support of Pleasance, Les Enfants Terribles and Lyric Theatre Belfast. But it can’t keep going the way it is. I’ve seen some exciting independent queer work having to cancel their runs because it is no longer feasible. A fringe festival shouldn’t be driving you to financial ruin.
I’ve said it before but it’s really up to the big theatres, the arts councils, the ridiculously funded companies to band together to ensure this no longer continues. New exciting queer work should thrive within the fringe and then beyond, not be left behind. The marginalised and othered voices should benefit from the resources and support of those with power. Or else it will just get worse.
