“Using our genre-splatting blend of dance, theatre and comedy, Lovely Girls is a show that is challenging the norms, values and expectations we have set for women.”
WHO: Cristina MacKerron & Chess Dillon-Reams: Performers and directors
WHAT: “Chess and Cristina are multi award-winning duo, The Hiccup Project, often introduced as ‘the lovely hiccup girls’. At first, they didn’t react, because women are supposed to be lovely. But then they started to wonder what else they could be… Using their powerful blend of dance, theatre and comedy, they delve into the ridiculous and limiting contradictions and clichés of being a woman today. Follow Cristina and Chess’ poignant, hilarious and truthful journey where they imagine a world where women can be – and do – whatever they want. A celebration of two women, reclaiming their power.”
WHERE: ZOO Southside – Main House (Venue 82)
WHEN: 20:50 (70 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
Our first Edinburgh Fringe was in 2016, with our first show May-We-Go-Round?, at Dance Base. We didn’t know what to expect, and it was a very positive experience for us. It was such a joy to see the work grow over the run, and meet so many people! We learnt so much, made so many connections and gained so much work from it – that is still continuing to grow!
What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?
We didn’t get to Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018. We spent most of it recovering from a spring/summer tour of our second show ‘It’s Okay, I’m Dealing With It”. In August 2018, we actually started making Lovely Girls, and it’s been a whirlwind of a journey since then! We worked with Bryony Kimmings and Solene Weinachter in the process. The process has been broken up into lots of different slots.
Tell us about your show.
Lovely Girls is our third show – directed and choreographed by us – Chess and Cristina – the performers, and directors of The Hiccup Project. We dream, write, direct, choreograph the whole shebang!
Using our genre-splatting blend of dance, theatre and comedy, Lovely Girls is a show that is challenging the norms, values and expectations we have set for women. Lovely Girls is a show about finding a voice – a voice that says ‘enough’ to being called just lovely, says ‘no’ to being sidelined and says YES to being whatever we want to be! On a broader level, it’s also challenging how we all want to be seen, and speaking up about it.
After meeting at school, and training at Northern School of Contemporary Dance – we formed the company Brighton in 2014. We’ve made two other shows ‘May-We-Go-Round?’ and ‘It’s Ok, I’m dealing with it’ which have both toured nationally, and performed at both Edinburgh Fringe and Brighton Fringes. Our work always uses social, universal themes, using our real experience/stories, and observational humour – with an aim to connect to audiences no matter their experience in theatre or dance! The work has premiered prior to Edinburgh Fringe – but the show has significantly developed since then – so we’re very excited to get performing!
Post Edinburgh – we are planning a big tour in Spring 2020 – we can’t wait to get it out there!
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
Everyone should go and see HoneyBee, the one-woman show by Eleanor Dillon-Reams. Expect a thumping soundtrack, phenomenal spoken word, beautiful writing and a very engaging performance from her. Not to be missed!
Juliet and Romeo – Lost Dog Dance – a fantastic mix of dance, theatre, and comedy. Juliet and Romeo didn’t die in this story – they’re now married, in their 40s, and struggling. It’s heart warming, painfully honest, beautifully executed.
The South Afreakins – Robyn Patterson – a fantastic one-woman show. Robyn takes both roles of her parents, as they talk about the struggles of living in South Africa. She is a superb actor. A real gem of a piece!
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