Several shows about mothers and daughters come to Edinburgh Fringe this summer.
I thought I’d ask three of them to speak about their own memories by answering the following question:
“What is your strongest memory of your mother, and how would you describe the bond you have with her?”
Toni Nagy – Go To Your Womb (Toni is also performing Grape Culture)
“A comedy show starring comedian Toni Nagy and her 13-year-old daughter Adelia Aldrich. Submerge into the shamanic journey of parenting, being parented, and the process of building compassion for one’s parents by understanding them as humans.”
Where: theSpace at Surgeon’s Hall
When: 2-10, 12-14 Aug
Ticket link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/go-to-your-womb
My grandmother was dying, and my mother and I were both lying in bed with her – listening to my grandmother complain about her mother.
As my grandmother started to fall asleep, my mother then started to complain about her mother.
This sparked a conversation about the “nature vs nurture debate” and I said to my mom, “isn’t it kind of funny how everything you don’t like about me, you attribute to my nature, but everything you do like about me, you take credit for as your nurturing?
And then everything I like about me, I claim as my nature, but everything I don’t like about me, I blame on your nurturing?” Then we had a good laugh.
Karin Trachtenberg – My Mother Had Two Faces
“Presented in pseudo-fairytale style, this one-woman dramatic comedy dares to expose what lies beneath the mask of the perfect mother.”
Where: Gilded Balloon Patter House
When: 31 Jul, 1-12, 14-19, 21-26 Aug
Ticket link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/my-mother-had-two-faces-reflections-on-beauty-aging-and-acceptance
My strongest memory of my mother is watching her as she prepared her face for public consumption.
Every morning she sat at her makeup table, all her utensils in front of her, like a painters’ palette, a large lighted mirror like in backstage dressing rooms – moisturizing, powdering, highlighting – til she was satisfied with the image looking back at her.
My mother kept up this ritual routine well into her eighties, even when Alzheimer’s rattled her brain, putting on make-up was so ingrained in her muscle memory, she continued to apply lipstick and eyeliner with a steady hand.
Her perfectionism made her difficult to live with, yet people adored my mother. I always felt that it was a bit of a disappointment to her that I wasn’t more polished.
Only after her passing did I recognize how much we were alike – ambitious, proud, going after what we wanted, unapologetically.
She showed me how to live with beauty, grace, and manners – and the courage to follow your dreams.
Jean Franzblau – My Mother Doesn’t Know I’m Kinky
“A sexy story filled with drama and comedy, love and lust. Jean’s mom liked her new boyfriend and was disappointed when the two broke up. As close as she is to her mother, Jean can’t bring herself to explain the reason: She’d have to reveal that she’s a very kinky girl.”
Where: theSpace at Niddry Street
When: 2-10, 12-24 Aug
Ticket link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/my-mother-doesn-t-know-i-m-kinky
Maybe you could use a pseudonym for your show – how about that?”
That was my mum’s first response when I let her know that I was writing a solo show that had anything to do with sex. She was less concerned about her privacy and more concerned about my safety.
I let mum know that “My Mother Doesn’t Know I’m Kinky” is as much about authenticity as it is about sexuality. And that means that I’ll be using my real name. She understands and is fully behind me.
Even though she gave me almost zero information about sex growing up, privately she has a wonderful, bawdy sense of humor.
Once I got in trouble for telling a dirty joke in primary school. My teacher asked how I would feel if she let my mum know what I had done.
I kept my mouth shut, but it was my mother who told me that joke!