Did you masturbate in public as a child and then feel so guilty you stopped touching yourself for two years while your “sins” played on a loop in your head? Ever watch your dad sleep at night to make sure he was still breathing? Were you afraid to say ‘delectable’ because JonBenét Ramsey said it right before she was murdered in the JonBenét Ramsey Lifetime Original Movie? If so, it’s possible you were a horny little lesbian in the making with totally undiagnosed OCD! Like me! Come to Unstuck to see how I turned out 😉
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?
Olivia Levine: UNSTUCK is a comedic solo show about the intersection of my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and my sexuality. I use standup and storytelling to chronicle my journey with my OCD, discovering my queerness, and navigating familial and romantic relationships. The show is very fun, candid, and raunchy. Let’s just say the beginning starts with me talking about how I used to masturbate in public (but concealed!) as a child… a longer description is below!
Ever been afraid to use the word ‘delectable’ in a sentence after JonBenet Ramsey said it the night before she was murdered in the JonBenet Ramsey Lifetime Original Movie? Ever have to shout ‘green car green car green car’ every time a green car zooms down the street? I’m gonna be real– if so, you might have OCD. Like me!
Hi, I’m Olivia Levine and I suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. We’ve all heard about the classic stuff– the hand washing, the touching, the counting. But most of us haven’t heard about other ways it can manifest. Like a fear of accidentally causing violent harm to a loved one, the fear that using a particular word might result in the death of your best friend. Killing people with your vagina germs! Accidentally impregnating your mother! The list goes on! Unstuck: A One Woman Show About Growing Up With OCD explores the comedy, the tragedy and the beauty of a very misunderstood and under-represented disorder.
Tell us about the creative team and the process involved?
I wrote the show in 2018 when I was working on a show outside of NYC (where I am from) and was feeling very isolated and depressed. I had been wanting to write a solo show for a while and was also really struggling with my OCD at the time. Prior to that period, I had just been writing down little moments or jokes when I needed a respite from all my ruminating, but when I was away and had nobody to hang with, I finally wrote out a chronology of my experience with OCD. That really helped lay the foundation for the show, and then I continued to develop it in 2019 with my then-director. He was wonderful but had to leave town, so I started working with another collaborator, Molly Rose Heller. We went to uni together and had done sketch comedy together, and I really, really trust her. She does lots of associate directing work on and off-Broadway, and we have a wonderful bond that goes back ages. When I brought Molly on board, we continued to hone in on the story I wanted to tell, and then premiered the show at The Tank NYC in 2020 to great acclaim! I was actually supposed to take the show to Fringe that year, but we all know what happened…Anyway, I am thrilled to be bringing it now! Molly will come with me and be there for the first week of the run, and I am so excited to share my first Fringe experience with her.
How does it feel coming to the Fringe?
I feel immensely excited and also pretty nervous! Now that everyone has seen BABY REINDEER I keep getting these texts that are like, “Are you SURE you want to do this??” Hah! I keep trying to explain that it’s not like that for everyone! But yeah, I tend to thrive in entirely new environments where I can make new connections – I am most present in those instances – so that part of the experience is really enticing. I definitely am nervous about attendance and my stamina, given I have never performed the show this many times in a row. But I am just trying to keep a very open mind and remind myself that this is a learning process as much as anything else! I think you really can’t go wrong with that mindset.
There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?
I think what sets UNSTUCK apart is that it’s unflinchingly honest. I share lots of personal information and stories that I think lots of other folks don’t have the guts to talk about. I discuss my sexuality and shame in a way that is very candid. And what that often results in is lots of people coming up to me after to share their own personal stories and admissions. That is honestly my favourite aspect of the show – I think it helps people to feel brave and open. I also think that, as a performer, I am unabashedly myself, and that’s really fun to watch on stage. My sense of humour is personal, wacky, and VERY memorable. So, to summarise, I think UNSTUCK is a bundle of fun, but also a piece that fosters intense, loving connection between people. And I mean, come on, how many other acts are being promoted as “the show about the American chronic public masturbator” LOLOLOL. Any press is good press….right??
Is there anything specific you’re hoping the audience will take away?
I think OCD is a very misunderstood disorder, and I believe I do a good job of illuminating some of the less talked about aspects of having it. So, I hope audiences will walk away with a clearer picture of what it is and how it can impact people. I am also hoping the audience will walk away feeling like it is not only OKAY, but BETTER to live life as your authentic self at every moment. And finally, I do hope they walk away with a huge grin on their faces and a tummy ache from laughing so much!
Your ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t there…
Hah! Well – and I do mean this so truthfully – I think there is something for everyone. I didn’t always believe that. Once, I knew my director’s grandparents were coming to the show, and I was thinking to myself “Oh God, they’re going to hate listening to me talk about strap-ons and vagina germs and masturbating in public.” I WAS DEAD WRONG. They were thrilled and inspired, and even started telling me about THEIR personal sexual experiences…which was something…
But I think the show is for young people and older folks alike, I think the queers will love it, but so will the straights! I think if you’re not open-minded or interested in hearing comedy based on personal things, this isn’t for you. If you don’t like hearing about sex, NOT for you! But again, in my experience, between mental health stuff, sexuality stuff, and just the material about growing up, there tends to be something for everyone to relate to.
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 want to play basketball. I don’t know how much hoopin’ is happening in Edinburgh, but playing basketball is how I manage my stress! So if anyone seeing this has leads, let me know! I also plan to sleep A LOT, read as much as I can, and make sure I am spending some time alone. I am very social and can get sucked into the whirlwind of it all, which is a blast. But I definitely will need to carve out some very intentional alone time, too 🙂
I can’t wait to see Anna Akana’s hour, Catherine McCafferty’s debut show, (NOT) THAT BAD, Rose Matafeo’s new show, Ellen Toland’s show PRETTY GOOD, NOT BAD later in the month, and I always love seeing Cat Cohen perform. Can’t wait to catch her hour! Oh, three more I am excited about are Otter Lee’s show, PRINCESS SYNDROME, Kelly Bachman’s PATRON SAINT, and Carolyn Castiglia’s CHUCK!
In your ideal world, how can we improve the Fringe, of performance, and the industry?
Well, I think – and I will speak for myself – as an American, it is very expensive to bring your show to Edinburgh. I knew that coming in and am well prepared, but it would be wonderful if there were more grant programs in the US available to people who want to bring their show to Fringe. That applies to the industry at large, too. In the US there is just SO little support for the arts, it can be exhausting to sustain a healthy practice. I mean, this is nothing new, but I think money, commerciality, and profit need to be de-centred, and community and collaboration, amazing art, subsidies and grants need to be CENTRED. I want to do this all my life, but I am definitely sick of feeling so run down all the time. Hah, wonderful note to end on! No, but in all seriousness, we need to change the way art is made and funded in the US. I would love to see the process of bringing fringe shows to Edinburgh become easier and accessible.
Interested in being featured on our Have a Gander page? With many previews and Q&As lined up, we’re always happy to chat about including your show in future articles. Please do get in touch through the contact page to feature in an upcoming ‘Have A Gander’