“As a live performer, it’s really important to have a good home life, and enjoy the times when you aren’t making a show or are on stage. It’s essential to find enjoyment in your day-to-day life.”
WHO: Natasha Sutton-Williams
WHAT: “Join Gary Strange in the London sewers as he encounters stories of bad sex, sad sex and clown sex. From garlic-flavoured nipples to cat cunnilingus, it’s funny, grotesque and surprisingly relatable. Visceral and ‘brilliantly oddball’ (Time Out), this show makes audiences laugh, cry, and even gag. Expect the unexpected. Nominations: People’s Choice Award (VAULT Festival 2023), Best Performance in an IDEA Production (Offies Award 2023), Clown Sex Podcast (OffComm Award 2023). ‘Unique and mouthwatering’ ***** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). ‘Examines sex in all its messy glory’ ****½ (Breaking-the-Fourth-Wall.com). ‘Unexpected comedy’ **** (BroadwayWorld.com).”
WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Bunker Two (Venue 33)
WHEN: 13:45 (60 min)
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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
Yes! This is the first time that I will be performing in Edinburgh, and am doing the marathon of the month at the Pleasance Courtyard. I’ve performed many times in London at festivals like VAULT and previously I have been reluctant to go up to Edinburgh because it can feel like there is so much noise and that you are screaming into a void. But because Clown Sex sold out at VAULT this year and received a number of award nominations and great reviews, it felt like this year would be the best time to give Edinburgh a go.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
There’s two big things I’ve learnt in relation to live performance since the pandemic. One is that there is still a huge public desire to see live performances on stage. It is an inbuilt urge for humans to tell each other stories and watch each other perform live and in the flesh. That gives me hope even in these steadily difficult times.
The second thing I’ve learnt is that as a live performer, it’s really important to have a good home life, and enjoy the times when you aren’t making a show or are on stage. It’s essential to find enjoyment in your day-to-day life. Creating and performing work is one of the most exciting things you can do with your time, but it’s important to find other stimuli in addition to treading the boards if you want to keep your sanity in this insane business.
Tell us about your show.
Gary Strange has moved into the London sewers due to the cost-of-living crisis. One benefit of living in London’s innards is that Gary can listen to his high-rise neighbours through drainpipes and plugholes, overhearing stories of bad sex, sad sex and even clown sex. He recounts a day in the life of a failed teacher and party animal, a journalist’s enlightening sexual encounter with a feline friend, and Gary’s personal experience of getting jiggy with a kink-positive clown.
I have a real soft spot for Gary, even though some people might find him to be a bit of a wrong’un. It’s true that he has some odd tastes – clown sex being one of them – and he loves to bask in the joy of filth, but what is so great about Gary is that he doesn’t let society’s prejudices get in the way of expressing himself, or his pleasure seeking. He is cheery, sweet and really quite thoughtful, especially when it comes to his romantic partners. He has taken wokeness very seriously.
I’ve written and am performing the show. My incredible producer Steph J Weller is producing the show, along with some support from Wildpark Entertainment. Steph and I co-founded Working Birthday Theatre company. We’re the filthy joke that makes your mum laugh in spite of herself. Our theatrical goal is to subvert traditional representations of women and instead presents complex, hilarious, and even amoral female protagonists with unflinching detail. We’ve created critically acclaimed shows like Freud the Musical which explore mental health, sexuality, and the enduring quest for human connection.
Clown Sex has had different permutations over the years, but the version you will see at Edinburgh has never been seen before! During the pandemic I adapted Clown Sex into a 6-part comedy drama podcast which was a great experience. It has much more material in it than I am able to illustrate in an hour show, and I am able to delve more deeply into the world of the characters. You can listen to the Clown Sex podcast wherever you get your pods! Here is a link to it on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3oCmcBVAsFhqCQnOmNsoRi
The next steps of the project are all very hush hush, so watch this space to see what grotesque hilarity seeps out from the sewers of my mind!
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
Last year when I went up to the Fringe as a punter, I saw the queer, burlesque clown show Trash Salad devised and performed by Rosa Garland. It has gained quite a following since last year, and is on for the first two weeks of Edinburgh at the Pleasance. It is a truly original show, so if you like your burlesque queer and freaky with a dash of vinaigrette on the side, be sure to check it out!
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