Holly Morgan talks about bringing MADONNA OR WHORE to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your performing background?
I grew up on the mean streets of Tufnell Park with humus munching middle class parents who liked to bring their kid to the theatre. According to my diary aged 7, my two potential career aspirations were ‘Freelance Actress’ or ‘Town Crier’. Well, it’s very hard for women to succeed as a Town Crier, massive glass ceiling, hideous outfit, so I went for Actress (I’ve yet to discover a non freelance option). In my 30s my career in classical theatre dried up because I could no longer convincingly play ‘young courtier giggling in the background’ so I wrote my first solo show, ‘Seven Crazy Bitches.’

Tell me about your show, what it is all about?
Madonna or Whore is a musical comedy about misogyny. It’s a look at Freud’s Madonna-Whore Complex with the songs of Madonna. It’s got jokes in it, promise.

How long have you been working on this show and what is it that makes it relevant to audiences in 2018?
I got the idea when we were at the Fringe last year with Seven Crazy Bitches and then the Weinstein story broke in September. I was struck by the fact that the media had apparently only just noticed that the entertainment industry exploits women! We debuted the show at Vault Festival in January. A comedy show about misogyny couldn’t really be more relevant to audiences in the era of Trump, #MeToo and the recent Repeal the 8th Movement and, as an added bonus, Madge turns 60 in August!

Do you have any top tips for surviving the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – both for performers and visitors to the event?
I’d say don’t read reviews because it messes with your head either way. My top survival tip is be nice to flyerers otherwise I’ll personally kill you! You’re not fucking special, they’re not trying to ruin your day by giving you a piece of paper, they’re either working or trying to claw back some money/audience from the financial/self esteem thunderdome that is Edinburgh. What has been the funniest or most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you on stage?

I did a couple of tours with the Globe that had massive multi generational casts. There was a pivotal court room scene which featured the entire cast and I chose that moment to do the most obnoxious fart of my life. I was wearing a long robe so the whole disclosure process of the fart happened in stages. I saw it gradually filter across the stage, hitting wave after wave of dignified elder statesmen of the British theatrical touring scene. One brilliant actor called Eddy Peel who looks like a massive, noble ent was laughing so hard the set was shaking. It lingered for the entire second half. My oldest friend was in and she smelt it in the fourth row of the stalls and said it smelt like home. Who are your biggest inspirations in the industry and why?

I had a picture of Emma Thompson on my wall as a student because I wanted her career. I also think she’s a woman of real principle. Do you have any pre-show rituals? Due to the farting incident I now try to remove that being an issue, if you catch my drift…

What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at Edinburgh Fringe?
James Rowland’s ‘Revelations,’ Jordan Brooks, Matt Winning, ‘Sparks’ by Jessica Butcher is just magical and Anna Mann’s ‘Cheese and Sex Party’!

Why do you think people should come and see your show over the thousands of others on at the Fringe?
I’m not going to lie, if you can’t stand Madonna, or women in general, you should probably give it a miss. But if you want a cathartic mass singalong moment to ‘Like a Prayer’ wearing a robe made of bin liners, then this is the show for you!

Holly Morgan: Madonna Or Whore is on 19:35, 1-26 August (not 14th), Assembly Roxy Downstairs throughout Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

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