ED FRINGE 2023 INTERVIEW | Abigail Jenson, Sex Diaries of an Ex-Catholic
In preparation for the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Emmie chats with Abigail Jenson about her piece Sex Diaries of an Ex-Catholic.
1. Let's begin by pitching your show at the Ed Fringe, tell us about it?
Sex Diaries of an Ex-Catholic is a zany new play about a devout woman abandoning her chastity pledge at the age of twenty-five in favour of the exciting world of casual sex. Through awkward threesomes and encounters with foot fetishes, protagonist Joan must grapple with her inexperience, lack of sex education and ultimately, her relationship to God, all to the tune of classic Catholic hymns! She is forced to ask if this brave new world can offer her anything other than broken hearts, bloody noses and... butter?
2. Where did you draw your influences from for this piece?
As an ex-Catholic, I have found myself returning to the hymns I grew up singing in mass and was surprised that I could still sing every word, hear the organ from my childhood parish, recall my "cues" as an altar server... I mean, Catholic music is absolutely banging (pun intended)! At the same time, I immediately felt the dissonance struck within me upon revisiting these tunes. Many are upbeat and rather beautiful, but they remind me of the heavy expectations that loomed over me for many years and linger here and there in my life now. Sex Diaries started as a way for me to reclaim these songs that just genuinely made me want to dance but, now, in a context that is empowering, positive and definitely sacrilegious!
From there, I was certainly inspired by the tackling of similar issues in Casey Kurtti's Catholic School Girls, in addition to Fleabag and Derry Girls. The script is part stand-up, part sketch comedy and part heartfelt coming of age drama. I pretty much just wrote exactly the show that I would want to see!
3. What are the challenges of bringing a piece to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
As a group of postgraduate students, the process of securing funds and marketing on a budget has certainly been an uphill climb. The costs of printing and buying ad space, on top of venue rental and registration fees, sometimes get us down. Still, luckily, our company is extraordinarily clever and have found effective marketing strategies for our budget! This may even include preaching on the streets of Edinburgh during the festival... so, if you see the Virgin Mary proclaiming sex-positive messages into a bullhorn on the Royal Mile, that'll be us!
4. What can audiences expect from your show?
Awkwardness. Awkward first times, awkward dancing, awkward sex-capades and awkward confessions (pun intended) of love! But even if you suffer from second-hand embarrassment, I promise the pay-off and the belly aches from laughter will all be worth it!
5. What are you most looking forward to during your time in Edinburgh for the festival?
The flair of the Fringe is right up my alley! I love shows in intimate theatres and community spaces that are fresh and socially engaged, that take risks and that bring a bit of much-needed humour in the midst of some pretty dark themes. I can't wait to find these kinds of performances, discover new artists from around the world and witness unique perspectives, all while wandering the streets of one of the world's most beautiful cities.
6. What are the main things within your piece?
There's an abundance of sacrilege, detailed info on the efficacy of contraception, climactic (pun intended) music and super steamy scenes... you know, standing several feet apart, backs turned, not looking at each other... real sexy!
7. Where can people come and see Sex Diaries of an Ex-Catholic?
We are at theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall in the Haldane Theatre 4 - 12 August at 12:15!
Ticket information can be found here.
