We sat down with Stacie talking about No Good Drunk, a show about the generational impact of alcoholism and domestic abuse —with compassion, humour and a deep love for the women who survived it. This intensely personal and harmonious solo show is set against a backdrop of West Texas and powerfully blends southern gothic storytelling, original music, and multimedia.
- Thank you for chatting with A Young(ish) Perspective! Introduce us to who you are and what you’re doing at the Edinburgh Fringe this year?
Hi, I’m Stacie Burrows. I’m a Texas-born, LA-based writer & performer. I’ll be bringing my third Fringe show, No Good Drunk to Edinburgh this year. My first two shows, Bulletproof Unicorn and Laughable, leaned into comedy more than No Good Drunk, which is a solo, multi-media hour blending original music, true stories, and film shot in West Texas dive bars and graveyards. As the name suggests, No Good Drunk deals with the topic of alcoholism and how it upended my family for generations.
- 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?
To a young, first-timer, my pitch would probably be something like, “Ever had a bad breakup?” and to a veteran, I’d ask, “Know any no good drunks?”
- No Good Drunk addresses the cycles of abuse and addiction, but also the power of hope and resistance. How are you able to balance the light with the dark?
Yes, that is correct. My foundation as a writer and performer is stand-up comedy. It is simply impossible for me to tell any story, no matter how dire or dark, without incorporating humour. It’s my nature to mine a piece until I can deliver it with some sort of reprieve from the heaviness. Otherwise, an audience member may very well look to jump off the next cliff. I do not overly-sensationalize the material, and I strive to not manipulate the emotions of the audience. When I have bad news to share, I share it and move on.
- There is often a stigma preventing survivors from speaking out on their experiences, but you have a voice and a platform to elevate this story. What lessons have been imparted on you from your previous experiences that will inform the way you approach this run?
Well, I lean on the old adage: nothing changes if nothing changes. The whole conceit of the piece is that history doesn’t always repeat itself, but it often rhymes. I believe one of the reasons the dark past of my heritage keeps repeating itself is due to the fact that no one had open and honest conversations about the addiction, abuse, or deaths. Everyone seemed more content to hide the truth, which I can only imagine perpetuated the problems. The story focuses on women in my family who did not have the privilege or opportunity to discuss such things, let alone in public, nor on a stage. But I do have the privilege and the opportunity, so I will use it wisely.
- Who would your surprise dream audience member be?
Well, that’s a wonderful question. I admire the works of so many artists who have had successful Fringe experiences, from Tim Minchin to Phoebe Waller-Bridge, but honestly, I feel the most satisfied when I look out into the audience and I see someone react to my work as if I’m telling their story, too. You just know when the right person is sitting in the room. You feel the connection, share a big old hug, or a deep sob afterwards and that’s all that needs to be said.