Interview: Toni Nagy, Grape Culture

27 Jun

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 Toni Nagy about Grape Culture.

Can you tell us a bit about you and your career so far.

I am a stand-up comic, content creator, writer, director and dancer and my work is driven by philosophical inquiry and social commentary. My love for comedy comes from my desire to explore the human condition in a way that feels emotionally sustainable. Deep throating the harsh truths of society makes me gag, and comedy is the lubricant that helps me not choke on the horrors of existence. For me, performance is about collective healing and communal reflection. My healing is a life-long process, and the meaning I receive when working through my issues within the container of comedy is my medicine.

What is your show about?

"Grape Culture" is a tragic comedy about the culture of "grape." This show undresses the psychology of grape while unbinding the consciousness of grape. Sarah and I believe grape culture isn't just a part of culture, it is our culture. The mentality of grape is the current that flows through every wire of our societal structures. We wanted to look at the macro issues of how grape culture impacts us all, as well as the micro stories and personal events in our lives that we know also have universal meaning. The comedic aspect of the show is crucial for it helps us talk about these issues in a way that is more palatable for the tongue. Grape Culture is so prevalent exactly because we as a society struggle with how to discuss these issues openly. We need to put down the shame and guilt in order to pick up the puzzle pieces of how we heal.

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

The inspiration for this show began when I saw Sarah dance. I was so blown away by her raw, feral, femine, wild energy, and as we began to talk about our work, I realized how much synergy we shared. Both Sarah and I had been making art about grape for decades, and I was inspired when she told me about her thesis work - a documentation cataloguing her processing her sexual assaults in real time as a young woman. My own comedic work around the subject of grape was something that I always felt drawn to, but also desired a long format journey with an audience so we could get into the weeds and lay in the fields of this uncomfortable subject. Sarah and I formed a partnership to make this work, for we both felt the beauty of coming together, holding each other up, and supporting each other so we could be free to be honest and real.

What made you want to take Grape Culture to the Fringe?

When I look at the current paradigm of society, I see so much need for healing, love, compassion, and connectedness. Yet how is that possible in a context where people are violating each other, unclear of what consent means, and don't take responsibility for their harming actions? Grape culture is so ubiquitous, it is the water we swim in. How can we truly heal grape culture when I can't even say the word without the algorithm flagging me, censoring me, shutting me up. Grape is the one crime you can never discuss in public. You will be silenced for trying, or worse, be met with silence. We want to perform this show because we want people to talk about the work, and feel free and open to talk about their own experiences. We want to unburden ourselves from holding these secrets so we can genuinely move forward.

Apart from seeing Grape Culture what’s your top tip for anybody heading for Edinburgh this summer?

Let the art move you. Let the art open you up to addressing the parts of you that you are ashamed of. Let the art inspire you to speak your truth. Let the art remind you that we all have darkness, and learning to love your shadow will help you love others more fully.

Why should people book Grape Culture?

The show is nuanced. It is complex. It peeps at the naked truth of this issue from a variety of perspectives. It is not about blaming, but understanding. Its goal is to spark conversations with each other and within yourself. We have all stroked this subject, yet let's do it with intention. Together we will caress the untouchable subject in order to directly face ourselves.