Louise Orwin has read the writing on the wall.
Being a performance artist is tough.
But being a TikTok superstar… piece of piss, right?
FAMEHUNGRY is a helter-skelter nosedive into the TikTok universe and a grudge match with the attention economy.
Flipping the script on the mentor/mentee relationship, acclaimed UK performance artist Louise Orwin has enlisted Gen Z TikToker Jax Valentine (20yo, queer, 80k followers) to guide her (37yo, queer, 4k followers) through a brave new world of dance trends, 24 hour live-streaming, enforced face filters and endless monetizable content.
FAMEHUNGRY will be showing at Edinburgh Fringe from 1 – 26 August. Check it out here.
- Tell us about FAMEHUNGRY
FAMEHUNGRY charts my journey through the hellscape- sorry I mean landscape- of TikTok. 4 years ago I began working with a 15 year old content creator and TikToker called Jaxon Valentine- at the time they had 50,000 followers on TikTok, which made my head explode. I was curious what it might be like to perform on the daily for such a huge audience, and then quickly questions followed for me about why I hadn’t yet been able to amass such large audiences for my work (duh: I’m a performance artist, I chose the most niche part of the Art sector to make a living in!). As more and more questions began to form around social media, it’s impact on art-making and audiences, how we watch, what we are willing to watch these days etc., i decided that the best way to investigate this would be to try to become a TikToker myself, and so over the next 4 years Jax began to mentor me. FAMEHUNGRY tells the story of this journey, my relationship with Jax, and loosely, what happens when a performance artist attempts to become a TikToker.
The show is wild and very live- it happens both in front of live theatre audience AND a TikTok Live audience. Whilst I’m on stage, I’m steaming live on TikTok- the only caveat being that the show is completely different for each of these audiences. Let’s just say the theatre audience gets let in on much more that’s going on on-stage – but you’ll have to come and see the show to find out what that means! In some ways FAMEHUNGRY is just me trolling TikTok (and trying not to get kicked off!), but in other ways it is an earnest investigation into what it’s like to be an artist now competing with social media, and living in a hyper-capitalist attention economy. Which makes it sound highfalutin and academic- but it’s actually a fun joy-ride of a show, featuring some surprise TikTok famous faces and a glimpse into the resulting existential crisis that the research process for the show provoked (fun!!).
- Who are the main character(s) in the show and what are they like?
The show is performed by Jax and me, with a few surprises along the way. One of the things that’s interested me most about this process has been taking the role of the mentor and turning it on its head. For the last 4 years, I’ve been being mentored by someone half my age (literally!), and this is the key dynamic between Jax and I as we continue to perform the show. Every night, I set a challenge for myself to win an ever increasing amount of likes on TikTok Live and Jax mentors me live through the process (with the theatre audience as voyeurs to this ridiculous task).
I think one of the things that I was really keen to veer away from with this show, was just making another show about the internet/social media which spelled complete doom and gloom for our collective future. That’s not to say I have some big fucking questions to ask about where the hell this is all leading us, but I think I’ve always felt some irritation when I sense this boomer-like opinion of the future. Jax’s generation (Gen Z) didn’t have a choice in whether they grew up online or offline, we created the conditions, and I feel we have a responsibility to guide and find a way through, not just condemn them as a generation of screen-addicts. FAMEHUNGRY gets really curious about what it’s like to be in Gen Z’s position, maybe even Gen A’s, and I hope toes a neat line between fear, curiosity and hope for the future and what all this means.
- How does it feel to be bringing FAMEHUNGRY to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
This will be my fourth full run at Edinburgh, and my third at Summerhall. The last time I was up was in the pre-pandemic before-times and although I’m already slightly worried about the state I’ll be leaving Edinburgh in (which happens every time obvs), I’m super excited to be up there, sharing my work. And most excitingly being in the Main Hall at Summerhall.
- What are the key pieces of advice you have been given or would give to new groups or people performing at the Fringe?
Pace yourself! There is nowhere like the festival- it is glorious and messy and awful and makes narcissists out of all of us, but can also be an incredible place to share work with audiences, showcase your work to programmers, and most importantly make the work better. Especially when you’re making risky/experimental/independently produced work, it can be difficult to find places to do find places to do longer runs. Every time I’ve taken my work to Edinburgh, it’s made the work the best it can be, and also made ma a better performer- its basically like performer bootcamp. We can all get caught up in the reviews and ticket sales, but I guess my main advice to anyone coming to the fringe for the first time is to focus on the work, and not necessarily yourself- find ways to make the work better continuously through the run, and keep your focus there. Plus obviously: drink water, eat vegetables, and go to bed at a decent time when you can.
- What do you hope that audiences will take away from FAMEHUNGRY?
I think mostly curiosity about how social media is changing us and the world around us, and a greater respect for Gen Z and performers/artists who put themselves out there in front of audiences! But I also hope that it is fun and wild and an experience like no other- I hope it breaks their hearts and also gives them a renewed sense of hope for the future.
- What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh during August?
Just the sheer amount of incredible work that you have access to- especially at Summerhall, which is hands down my favourite Edinburgh venue. Often it’s work that I’ve seen there that I’m thinking about for the rest of the year. And I think that’s what I’d also say to Fringe newbies- make sure you see loads of work whilst you’re up there, get inspired, find work that makes your little artist heart sing.