EdFringe Talk: Lachlan Werner – Voices Of Evil

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“You have to buy the right kind of fake blood or it will get all over everything.”

WHO: Lachlan Werner

WHAT: “The horrifying debut from the award-winning poof prince of puppets. Lachy is a poof, and apparently a virgin. Brew is a small, squishy witch, and she has decided to sacrifice him. To help with his self-esteem. In this ‘must-see’ (TheReviewsHub.com) sell-out hit, ventriloquist/clown, Lachlan Werner, presents ‘the definitive queer puppet show’ (LostInTheatreland.co.uk). An occult ritual, where demonic voices come from every corner and anyone could get puppeteered by evil. Reviews Hub Brighton Fringe Best Show Award Winner; VAULT Comedy Breakthrough nominee 2023; LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year 2022 runner up.”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – The Cellar (Venue 117) 

WHEN: 22:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This isn’t my first time at Edinburgh Fringe, but it IS my first time spending a month and my debut with a solo show. Last year I came with an ensemble show called ‘Movements In Motion’ with Laurie Luxe (Director of Voices Of Evil) and Paulina Lenoir (creator of Fool’s Moon Cabaret). That was an extremely ambitious full scale, three clown contemporary dance show staged on the upper floor of a bus. The best thing about it was the actual community still totally pulsing (albeit slightly underground, like a fringe of the fringe) through the whole thing. It’s become very commercial and reward focussed for sure but the sense of supporting artists and seeing incredibly exciting stuff is still alive if you look in the right places.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Definitely massively: listen to your creative gut, work with people who make you laugh and stay focussed on your own work and audience. Comparison really is the killer of creative joy and especially in SUCH a competitive environment such as the Fringe it can be so easy to forget why YOU are there. I try to keep reminding myself of what brought me to playing with puppets and making all this silly noise in the first place and how ridiculously lucky I am to get to do it at all. I’m so inspired by artists who do things on their own terms and keep playing.

Also I’ve learned that you have to buy the right kind of fake blood or it will get all over everything.

Tell us about your show.

The show is called Voices Of Evil and it is a ventriloquist horror comedy show in the style of a (very vague and stupid) sinister demonic ritual. I wrote it/devised it with co-creator Laurie Luxe (and earlier with Sara Segovia), both of them are clowns and theatre-makers. I play three characters simultaneously (using ventriloquism, puppetry, clowning and physical comedy) to tell a story of queer coming of age and self-empowerment. It’s been described as ‘the muppets meets the exorcist’ and also as ‘the definitive queer puppet show’. It’s a totally self-produced piece but kind of got discovered by it’s audience in London and Brighton last year and really took off. We won a couple of awards at last years Brighton Fringe and had two sell-out Soho Theatre runs (which was crazy).

After Edinburgh I’d love to tour it to more places outside London and spread this evil even more! I would also love to film it somewhere really spooky (some kind of super immersive location – an actual dungeon or crypt or haunted house).

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

There are SO many incredible acts bringing work this year, I’m inspired by so many of them and just cannot wait to see their shows. Julia Masli’s Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha is one of my faves already, as is Gush by Abby Vicky-Russell. I cannot wait to finally see Liv Ello and Frankie Thompson’s BODY SHOW, and Lorna Rose Treen’s Skin Pigeon (I’ve seen a few WIP versions and its set to be a total smash hit). Also Kathy Maniura, TROLL, Simon David, Untrue Diana, Paulina Lenoir. It’s honestly an endless list! But see them ALL.

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!