A deeply personal show about queer love, tummy flips, hearts skipping beats… and defending yourself against a homophobic bully. We sat down with Amanda Verlaque to discuss her upcoming show.
Hello Amanda, thanks for talking to us, could you tell us a little about your upcoming Fringe show This Sh*t Happens All The Time?
Hi! The show is set in the early 90s in Belfast. It’s about a young student who falls in love and what should be a happy time takes a dangerous turn. Basically, her girlfriend has an ex-boyfriend who comes across as supportive and right-on, but it turns out that this is just an act. He is in fact jealous that his ex-girlfriend has moved on and is in a relationship with a woman. How he deals with it is what makes the story so dramatic, because he threatens to kill the young student to get her out of the way. That young student was me.
How does it feel to bring This Sh*t Happens All The Time to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival? What are you most looking forward to?
I’m absolutely buzzing to be bringing the show to The Fringe! I’m from Northern Ireland but I used to live in Glasgow and every year I’d take the train through and catch as many shows as I could. To now be in a position to have my own work staged is a dream come true. I’ve an amazing performer, Catriona McFeely and director Rhiann Jeffrey who will take my words and weave their magic! I’m most looking forward to seeing as many shows as I can and supporting as many artists as I can.
Can you tell us a bit more about the creation process of the show?
I usually operate in the world of “makey-uppy”, where I can create characters and worlds, but this one is different because it’s based on real events that even now are emotional for me to think about. I chose to write it as a monologue because I felt it would lend itself to the intimacy of the piece but also to populate it with the key players who made up my world at the time. And while Catriona is on that stage on her own, she will bring to life the other characters to help tell the story.
What are you hoping for audiences to take away from This Sh*t Happens All The Time?
We all have stories in us and sometimes it’s the tough ones that have the power to change people’s minds for the better. So, I wrote my story not just for the LGBTQ+ communities across the world and our allies, but also for those who don’t yet know that they’re allies. I want audiences to enjoy the show, because while it’s a serious subject it’s also quite funny and sexy, and I want them to celebrate how LGBTQ+ visibility is the best way to stamp out bigotry.
How are you planning to unwind after a performance or on a day off? Any tips?
I’m taking on producing duties so I’ll be mad busy but I’m a big fan of unwinding! I’ll be catching as many shows as I can and catching up with lots of friends.
Where can audiences see your show?
Assembly George Square Studio Four every day at 1.20pm (except Wednesdays)
Finally – if you could describe your show in three words, what would they be?
Dark, sexy and funny.
This Sh*t Happens All The Time plays at the Edinburgh Fringe at Assembly George Square Studios, Studio Four. Tickets can be bought here.