Fern doesn’t get invited to dinner parties anymore. They used to love her tales of the macabre. But now? The mask is slipping. Written by Amy Conway and directed by Beth Morton, Catafalque is a one-woman eulogy to death through the lens of a civil celebrant. How do we grieve the ungrievable? How do you speak of death when no one wants to look? A show about love, loss and a lifetime of secrets. Join Fern as she navigates the complexities of a grieving family and learns to tell the truth when it repels the bravest of us.

Corr Blimey are thrilled to chat with brilliant Beth Morton about their work, and all about Amy Conway’s new show, Catafalque

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Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?

Catafalque is a show about how we eulogise people who have done abhorrent things and where grief and truth exists within that space. It’s about funerals, what makes us who we are and the preservation of self. It’s about the things we carry within and how and where we find the strength to activate our voice and our truth. It’s about stories – our own stories – and who might have the right to re-tell them. 

Tell us about the creative team and the process involved?

I’ve had the absolute privilege of working with writer Amy Conway, who will also perform in the show, and who has written a fantastic play. We had a couple of days of development on an earlier draft where we explored the themes and ideas, and lead character in this one-woman show. It was from here I started to develop the show’s concept and heightened distinct world for us to play within, and from there the brilliant Gary Cameron (Sound Designer) and Aisha Oyedepo (Lighting Designer) have been developing their ideas to help bring this concept into being. The soundscape plays a crucial role in how we are telling this story and Gary is so perceptive and precise in the aural journey he is building for the show. 

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How does it feel coming to the Fringe?

I’m so delighted to be back at the Fringe, and at Summerhall which is one of my absolute favourite venues. There’s always such a gorgeous sense of artistic community buzzing around the courtyard and we’re in such great company this year with so many other excellent shows in the venue.

There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?

I think Catafalque is a very powerful play that will be quite stirring and affecting for audiences. I think it will be poignantly engaging, but moreover what I think it does really well is bring positivity, hope and empowerment to a play that carries some dark and often difficult themes. It won’t be what you’re expecting! 

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Is there anything specific you’re hoping the audience will take away?

To be honest I think there is a lot to be taken away from Catafalque and truly believe that individuals will connect with it in different ways, taking away what might speak to them specifically. That said I would love for an audience to collectively take away how precious childhood is, the complexity of social identity, the fragility of the relationship with oneself, and that everyone carries the power within to speak their truth.

Your ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t there…

I think Catafalque is a show for everyone. Death and funerals are inevitably things that touch us all in some way but I think my ideal audience for Catafalque will be those who enjoy great storytelling and who can empathise with more than a one-sided idea within a story. It’s also a show that interrogates a sense of self and self-justification as well as discovery of ownership of one’s own voice so there’s lots in there to digest and reflect on. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the audience engages with the show. 

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 looking forward to catching up with friends and other artists and theatremakers. Hopefully we’ll get some nice weather so we can relax outside on the Meadows, in the courtyard at Summerhall or grab a quick takeaway lunch to eat between shows on the steps outside the Usher Hall.  There are so many shows I’d love to see but among my highlights I think are The History of Paper and So Young at the Traverse, and June Carter Cash: The Woman, Her Music and Me at Summerhall. 

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