“From what I’ve gleaned, performing at Edinburgh Fringe is a roller-coaster of experiences and emotions but not one person has said they regretted it.”
WHO: Karin Trachtenberg
WHAT: “Presented in pseudo-fairytale style, this one-woman dramatic comedy dares to expose what lies beneath the mask of the perfect mother. Discovering her mother’s diaries after her passing, the heroine Karin begins to examine the history of their complicated relationship: from the gritty, urban streets of New York to her Swiss mother’s manicured orderliness. Engaged in conversations with her mirrored reflection, Karin wrestles with her own inner demons. A riveting and poetic journey employing multimedia and masks that asks, when we strip away the make-up, what is revealed? ****½ (TheFrontRowCenter.com).”
WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – Bothie (Venue 24)
WHEN: 13:20 (60 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
This will be my first time in Edinburgh and the Fringe and it’s terrifying LOL. I’ve talked with scores of past performers to get an idea of what to expect, how to attract audiences and how to stay healthy and sane during this month-long festival. From what I’ve gleaned, performing at Edinburgh Fringe is a roller-coaster of experiences and emotions but not one person has said they regretted it. I see this as a once in a lifetime opportunity to perform at the world’s largest fringe festival. Fortunately, I have the production team of Fringe Management to help with marketing, promotion and technical aspects of bringing the show to Edinburgh.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
I’ve learned that a big goal is achieved by taking small steps every day. Consistency is key and connecting and collaborating with a like-minded artist community. At the beginning of 2023 I had a bunch of notes and no idea how to go about creating a one woman show. But by making time daily to write, rehearse, seek out support and networking with other solo artists, by the end of 2023 my dream came to full fruition complete with video, music, theatrical masks, projections and a Hollywood World Premiere of My Mother Had Two Faces.
Tell us about your show.
My Mother Had Two Faces: Reflections on Beauty, Aging and Acceptance is a one-woman autobiographical show that reveals what lies behind the mask of the perfect mother. Written and performed by me, Karin Trachtenberg, this has been a collaborative effort involving a team of creatives.
Director Jessica Lynn Johnson of Soaring Solo Studios worked with me along the way to shepherd the play from conception to full production. She produced my first performance and acts as an invaluable source of support and guidance.
My passion for Greek Theatre led me to collaborate with esteemed mask maker, Eric Bornstein, to create the “two faces” of my Mother which lend so much drama and pathos to the production. Three Cubed Studios from LA provided video support, while my son, Bobby Raps, a recent Berklee College of Music grad, composed some of the music and will be traveling with me as my tech.
My Mother Had Two Faces has traveled from Los Angeles to Boston to Off-Broadway as part of the United Solo Festival in NYC. Initially, I had no intention of taking my show to Edinburgh, but I love a good challenge. We’ll see what opportunities present themselves after Fringe.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
I would recommend seeing anything to do with Mothers and mothering. Because let’s face it, as the first and arguably the most important relationship in our lives, it’s a subject we can all relate to – both comic and tragic. I’ve scoped out a few shows with a maternal motif, most notably “Go to your Womb” which features a mother/daughter performing duo @toninagycomedy, “My Mother doesn’t know I’m Kinky”, “My Mother’s Funeral” @painesplough, “Fin Taylor: Ask your Mother”, and “Tiger Daughter or: How I Brought My Immigrant Mother Ultimate Shame”
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