Hola!
So I'm just back from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where "Careful," the play I've written for exquisite singer, Horse McDonald, is now playing at the National Museum of Scotland.
If you've never been to the Edinburgh Fringe, put it on your bucket list. Then alongside it write, "Bring an anorak!" because for some reason it ALWAYS rains during August in Edinburgh - Meteorologists, I defy to you to prove me wrong. The climate is akin to tropical rainforest - hot, because there are so many people, and damp because of the obligatory drizzle, and populated by many weird and exotic creatures.
But no matter the weather, the Fringe is always worth it. If you enjoy any form of entertainment, it's the place to be. This year I found it to be especially brilliant: Aside from seeing "Angel" by lovely Henry Naylor, and having lunch with my old mucker, Alan Cumming, I had the joy of watching Horse McDonald take to the stage in her first ever theatrical performance. It was incredible.
Horse and I built "Careful" using techniques I use in storytelling class. I would ask Horse to tell me stories about certain areas of her life, and then once I'd fiddled with them, I'd ask another story, and another, and construct the jigsaw of the play, piece by piece from there.
Because of this method, (and because of Horse's astonishing bravery) the piece has a disarming honesty, that seems to cut through everything. I've been to the Fringe many times and I've never seen an audience - damp anoraks and all - give a standing ovation every night, as they do for Horse.
The reviews have been amazing - out of six so far, five have been 5 star and the other a 4.
I say this not just to toot my own horn - though I definitely toot Horse's - but because it really has become clear to me how much power there is in being able to tell your own truth.
It's funny because often people say to me they'd like to write a play but they don't really have an idea. 'Careful' has shown me that often the most powerful ideas come from really just saying who we are.
And when it comes to who I am. I'm the mother of two boys who start back st school this week, so while Horse brings the house down every night in Edinburgh, I've come back to LA to pack school lunches and iron uniforms (who am I kidding?) and set up the dates for the next Beginners Storytelling course in Burbank.
If you have a story to tell (I say 'if" though actually there's no doubt about it - of course you do) and you think it's time you stood up to tell it, classes are either Thursday mornings or Sunday early evenings. Who knows, maybe this one little story will lead you to Edinburgh - and if it does, pack your anorak.
Very best,
Lynn
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