Interview: Charlie Traisman and Mākena Miller, ‘3Hams’

Ahead of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024, we’re chatting with a range of creatives who will be heading to the city over August to find out more about their shows. Today we’re chatting with Charlie Traisman & Mākena Miller about 3Hams.

What is your show about?

Set within the confines of a collective brain, 3HAMS follows the story of MAX & RY, two friends grappling with the truth of their relationship and the changes needed for growth. Amidst the chaos, the greatest revelations emerge from an unlikely source... a literal ham. This innovative play, conceived by Charlie Traisman & Mākena Miller and brought to life under the direction of Billie Aken-Tyers (Associate Director, Titanique), invites audiences to delve into the complexities of friendship, identity, and self-discovery.

What was the inspiration for 3 Hams and what’s the development process been to get to this stage?

Integral to the uproarious journey into the absurd and poignant world of 3HAMS is the bond formed between Mak and Charlie as collaborators. They began writing together in the summer of 2022 and realized they were writing a play. From performing in various comedy venues in Brooklyn and Manhattan to their upcoming journey at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, as queer creators, the distinct experience of LGTBQ+ people with eating disorders and body dysmorphia was important for them to address, as it remains vastly underrepresented and misunderstood.

So many of these experiences remain invisible inside of our heads. With this piece, Mak and Charlie search for a way to express the “inside”. It is not always logical, but it is deeply felt. It traps us, but it also offers us incredible brilliance. It can be tragic but also hilarious and enlivening. This is their exploration of what this existence feels like to them and an investigation of what it takes to break a cycle.

Why should people book 3 Hams?

Theatre enthusiasts will delight in the clownish antics and comedic brilliance of 3HAMS as it navigates the absurdities of human connection with wit, charm, and a touch of whimsy. With a stellar cast and inventive storytelling, this production promises to leave audiences laughing, reflecting, and ultimately, moved by the power of friendship and self-realization. 

What made you want to take 3 Hams to the Fringe? 

Both Charlie and Mākena have wanted to attend The Fringe for years! The amount of theatre one can immerse oneself in is magical. They are both lovers of community within theatre and 3HAMS is the perfect play to launch their journey at the Fringe!

Apart from seeing 3Hams, what’s your top tip for anybody heading for Edinburgh this summer?

See theatre of course!! Drink water! Find vegetables! Touch grass… in all honesty, that might be the best tip! There’s so much to see it can be exhausting so make sure you break up attending all those shows with something historical, or a nature bath!

When and where can people see 3Hams?

3HAMS will be playing at Just The Tonic, Mash House, The Cask Room from Aug. 1-25 (excluding the 12th) at 14:25.