Indie legend, Tamara Williamson, is bringing her acclaimed show to the Edinburgh Fringe
What are your first memories of storytelling?
One of my biggest memories is lying about stealing chocolate club cookies from a friend’s mother’s cupboard. I told her I was sure I swallowed a pin and that my mother said if that happened I should eat chocolate.
When did you first develop an interest into the arts?
Honestly, it was the only thing I did growing up that I felt I belonged. I’d listen to Sinead O’Connor or The Cocteau Twins and think “Oh Thank God, I’m not crazy’ Singing and writing music became my saviour at about the age of sixteen.
You were once dubbed ‘The Godmother Of Indie on Queen Street,’ – what’s all that about?
I moved to Toronto from the UK and took the music scene by the ears. I had a loud alt-rock band in the 90’s and would also sing with other local hero bands. We had a small but robust indie music scene and well, I guess I got a reputation for thinking outside the box. I also used to dye my hair bright red so I stood out. Maybe that was it. A big moment was when my band opened for Oasis, and I had a massive fight with Liam and he not so politely told me he was going to “smash my face in” hahahahahahah
Who, in the arts, has inspired you the most?
My ex-husband (-: oh…..in the arts. ummmm Lauri Anderson.
You are bringing a show to the Edinburgh Fringe, can you tell us all about it?
It’s called The Break-Up Diet. I wrote it after the disintegration of my marriage. It was first a book but then I made it into a podcast with original music that I had written in the heat of the moment. People went nuts for it, even saying they switched off Netflix to listen. So one day I decided to make it into a live show and entered the Toronto Fringe and again it all went nuts. I used to perform it with my rock band but it is a solo show for Edinburgh. I added the original film and it has computerized voices as well. It’s a multi-media event but really it all boils down to a story. A story people want to follow.
It had great success first time round, a few years ago in Canada, why are you bringing it to Scotland in 2024?
Well I was at a party and was talking to a theatre guy trying to figure out what to do with the show. I told him I wanted to sell it. I certainly didn’t want it to just disappear and he suggested Edinburgh Fringe. So I entered and got straight in. Then it all went crazy again. I got a producer and was accepted into one of the big four. But it was so much money and I had no funding. So I pulled out. Then I felt lame so I decided to come and do a few shows and take a look around.
When it comes to an audience, what aspects of themselves do you hope to engage with the most?
I’m proud of my show. I think it is unlike any show out there. I blend many ideas but mostly I love that people seem to sit transfixed. They are with me on a journey and they recognize their own experiences and behaviour in mine. We all make mistakes and it’s honest but in the end hopeful.
When you visit Edinburgh, what are you looking forward to most about engaging with both the Fringe & the city itself?
I’m very excited to go to the Scottish National Gallery to see the painting “Old woman frying eggs”.
You bump into somebody in the streets of Edinburgh & have 20 seconds to sell your show – what do you say?
Hi, I came all the way from Canada to perform my award-winning show. I know you are under a lot of pressure to see a lot of shows
but The Break-Up Diet is proven and no one has ever walked away without saying Wow. It’s a multi-media show with alternative original music and film. I didn’t make flyers because they are wasteful but here’s a napkin with the details on it in case you need to blow your nose or something. Hope you make it out and have a great Fringe.
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