One-woman stand-up tragedy BUZZ follows Trish Lyons’ turbulent journey from living in fear to reclaiming her life. Using dark humour and poetic storytelling, she unpacks a stalking in Toronto, a suicide in London, a breakdown and time in a mental hospital. Drawing on her past as a Fine Art lecturer and post-punk frontwoman, Lyons expertly moves between past and present as she uses art to uncover a deeper understanding of seeing and being seen. Assembly Rooms (Front Room) from 31st July – 24th August at 15:30. Buy your tickets here.
1. Thank you for chatting with A Young(ish) Perspective! Introduce us to who you are and what your doing at the Edinburgh Fringe this year?
I am an artist and a writer bringing my first one-woman show BUZZ to Edinburgh. My performance background is as a lecturer in post-modern and contemporary art and lead singer in the art and music band Viralux. BUZZ is a stand-up tragedy inasmuch it explores traumatic events to tell the story.
2. A Youngish Perspective platforms accessible arts and champions the huge scope of different perspectives – can you tell us about the show you’re taking to Edinburgh Festival Fringe as if you’re flyering to both a young first-time-Fringe goer and a festival veteran returning every year?
Buzz is a one-woman show. Buzz chronicles the journey of an artist who experiences a life changing event that unhinges her, eventually leading her to a psych ward where she discovers an Emily Dickinson poem that saves her life. Buzz discusses suicide, PTSD, and mental health.
3. This show speaks to many experiences and tragedies. Who do you aim to connect with through your performance? Who is this for?
I hope the audience connects with the mental health aspects, both for its cathartic effects and social/relational significance. Mental health touches many of our lives. I hope BUZZ has a broad audience. BUZZ is age restricted +14.
4. How do you bring your experience as a lecturer to your audience? Are there aspects of this piece that are wholly educational?
A good question 😉 thanks. My first draft was heavily influenced by my lecturing, which has since been stripped away. It was difficult cutting all that out, but it had to be done to move the story along – something that I have learned writing my first ‘script’ as such. Reflecting on why the ‘lecture’ bits did not work it has everything to do with timing. I have taken some of the cut content and embedded it into the performance itself. As for your question about wholly educational aspects, I hope the stuff about mental health treatment and PTSD in BUZZ is educational.
5. Who would your surprise dream audience member be?
Phoebe Waller-Bridge