Celeste Cahn brings her female-led, queer-led show, A Lady Does Not Scratch Her Crotch, to this year’s Camden Fringe.
‘In 55 minutes this show delves into how society, our friends, our families, our partners and even ourselves place made-up restrictions on women that we are never able to fully live up to, but must find a way to live with.”
Where: Hen & Chickens Theatre
When: 14, 17-18 Aug
Ticket link: https://camdenfringe.com/events/a-lady-does-not-scratch-her-crotch-by-celeste-cahn/
What are you looking forward to the most at Camden Fringe?
I’m really looking forward not only to participating in Camden Fringe this year with my own show, but also in seeing some of the other shows and meeting the people involved with them.
I’ve participated in Camden Fringe once before as an act in a drag show. I am, however, exciting to be doing this with my own show and having the time to get to know the festival better rather than being a bit more along for the ride.
I already have plans to see Hex Sells! at the Cockpit and am looking to see what other shows I will be making it to!
Tell me about A Lady Does Not …! It’s described as “a whirlwind one-woman show, where our hero seeks the help of feather-dusters, three blondes and even the audience to figure out how she’s supposed to dress, act, kiss and love like a lady. But not too much.” What’s it all about?
Thematically this show is about growing up when society sets out certain boxes for you and you don’t quite fit inside those boxes.
This of course applies to people of all genders, but in this play I am specifically looking at it from a girls/women’s perspective. I use the framework of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast to explore this issue.
I chose that because I think for young people of my generation Disney was a massive influence on how we came to view the world.
Belle is an interesting princess, because she does break away from some of the earlier princesses and is a bit more empowered, but she does not throw off gender expectations entirely.
I especially look at the beauty standards and ideas of the importance of beauty specifically for women and how media, family and friends can contribute to this impression.
Even Belle’s name means beauty, so though she is the smart princess, it is her beauty that is central to her.
Alongside this I also explore how sexuality and sexual awareness comes to being and the relationship of that to beauty and self-esteem.
When we become aware of the ideas that some people might be more desirable how does this impact on what we want for ourselves.
I talk a bit about my childhood crushes (which included multiple cartoon characters, not all of whom were people, Robin Hood the fox anyone?).
I play characters from Beauty and the Beast to explore this concept. Some characters that you will hear from are Maurice, Belle’s father, Mrs. Potts, Fifi the feather duster, the three blonde women, and of course, the man of toxic masculinity himself, Gaston.
This is a solo show – do you enjoy being on your own in the spotlight?
This is a solo show, but what I really enjoy in a solo show is how I get to play with the audience.
Though i am on stage alone I am often talking to the audience. This means that not only is it new every time because the same person is receiving it in different ways.
This show involves audience interaction in various ways. I try to build up that audience interaction so that the greater levels of audience participation are later in the show.
That participation is also fully voluntary and I try to find ways to build in consent with that audience interaction.
There was one performance I did in the past where when the audience member who comes on stage and volunteers to kiss me and grade me on that kiss, and an audience member really took the moment.
They sat down on stage and delivered their grades on my kiss with total command. It was really exciting. Of course people react to the moment very differently and I have a plan for if no one volunteers as well.
Some people are quite shy when they get up to do this and some are very bold. I suspect in general people are overly nice and I try to push them to be more critical of the kiss (which ties in a lot with the themes I talked about above).
So, that is a really long answer to say, yes, I love being in the spotlight.
I love getting to play different characters. That is my other favourite aspect of this, I like to switch between different characters quickly and find their juxtapositions. And I love developing a relationship with the audience.
You are playing the show at the Hen & Chickens. Has this been an inspiring venue for developing the show?
It definitely is.
I’m orginally from New Orleans in the US, and in general pub theatres are not really I thing in the US.
Having a chance to perform in such a great pub theatre is such a great opportunity.
It feels really quintessentially British in a way that is very exciting for me as an American and I love the way that it builds theatre into social life and makes it more accessible for more people.
Also, James, Mark, and Felicity, who run the venue, are just so kind, which is always a pleasure.
What’s next for you?
Well, I am a drag/cabaret performer and perform under the name Gyno Might. You can follow me on Instagram @thegynomight.
I perform various drag acts that are often comedic, political, and sometimes historical or literary. I will also be officiating two of my best friends’ weddings.
Next up play wise, I will be performing in Animal Farm 2 at the New Wimbledon Theatre.