Angie Waller brings Nana Funk to the Lambeth Fringe next month.
In An Evening With Nana Funk, ‘The audience are taken on a hilarious and emotional rollercoaster as Nana challenges ageism and how aged/aging people are portrayed in society.
From delicate ballads to 90’s dance and all the way through to full on ROCK, Nana gives her not so subtle opinions on what it means to be “age appropriate”’.
Where: Omnibus Theatre
When: 17 Oct
Ticket link: https://lambethfringe.com/events/an-evening-with-nana-funk
What made you want to write An Evening With Nana Funk? Tell me more about the character and the show.
Nana Funk kinda happened by accident. I signed up to a burlesque course in Liverpool run by the amazing Gina Stirling where we performed in a showcase at the end.
As a comedy actor I knew that I wanted to do something funny and my first idea was to create a routine to the Black Beauty theme tune!
But then Groove Armada popped up on my iPod and there’s a line at the beginning “My name’s Grandma Funk”….and Nana was born!
I noticed quite some years ago that as we get older we are bombarded with messages from the media, adverts, films…everywhere really, that we should be trying to “stop the clock”, to “defy age” and hide all of things that show that we’re getting older.
So I decide to give my opinion on all of that…through the best way I know how…song.
The show actually came from an Arts Council funded R&D for another of my shows, Tough Old Bird, with Paperwork Theatre and Unity Theatre, Liverpool in 2020.
An Evening With Nana Funk is everything that didn’t go into Tough Old Bird with a bit extra.
Nana’s mission is to challenge ageism, how we’re perceived as we get old & fight against being told that we should focus on “stopping the clock”.
An Evening With Nana Funk is a fun way to encourage discussion about a healthy approach to getting old so we can prepare properly for it is interspersed with a fair amount of body positivity and boss songs bringing joy to all around.
I LOVE encouraging audiences to love themselves as they are. To ignore those adverts and to do what the bloomin heck they want!! Some of the audience responses from previous shows include “Proper fun with a serious message – An Evening With Nana Funk will lift your spirits.”, “A fun and thoughtful take on the process of ageing disgracefully.” And ultimately I want the audience to have a ruddy good time!
Why should audiences choose to see your show and what might they expect?
Well, for a start…it’s award winning! I was delighted to win the Brian’s Life Best Comedy at Prague Fringe Festival in May this year.
To quote Binge Fringe “An Evening With Nana Funk isn’t just a musical comedy act; it’s a joyful middle finger to ageism. Nana Funk isn’t just a character; she’s a revolution in bedazzled granny panties.
By the final bow, she’s got the whole crowd cheering for saggy skin, hot flashes, and the freedom that comes with giving zero fucks. If aging is a rockstar’s journey, Nana Funk is leading the tour—and we should all buy tickets”.
The show is an absolute joy to perform and changes each show. This is partly due to my Ask Nana sections, where I answer audience questions in improvised songs on my ukulele (or a piano if there’s one lying around).
I can guarantee that some of these questions have me proper belly laughing each time. And there will always be at least one that I can’t read out for being just TOO rude.
I also loving chatting to audience after the show as EVERYONE has a story about how they’ve been made to feel less because of their age. Solidarity is a great thing.
Do you find fringe theatre inspiring as a writer or performer?
Fringe theatre is SO important!! Especially now, as prices sky rocket, fringe theatre continues to make theatre accessible not only to the audience, but also to theatre makers.
Fringe theatre gives space for underrepresented voices. It also makes it easier for an audience to discover new things at affordable prices and usually in walkable distance to each other. It encourages creativity for both theatre makers and audiences.
What’s next for the show?
I’ve been on a bit of a fringe tour with the show. This year I’ve already taken the it to Prague Fringe, Guildford Fringe, currently I’m at Lambeth and then Colchester Fringe at the end of October.
I’ve also performed An Evening With Nana Funk for Cheshire WI and am hoping to make it back over to Prague for their Comedy Festival. The goal is The London Palladium…