It is August which only means one thing – it is Camden Fringe time! Over the next few weeks we are chatting to acts that are performing at the festival and finding all about their show and what they would call this years iconic Camden Fringe Pigeon! Today we find out all about Witch Hazel

Date: 22nd & 23rd August
Time: 19:00
Price: £15
Location: Etcetera Theatre
Ticket Link:  https://camdenfringe.com/events/witch-hazel/

Hello! Tell us about Witch Hazel ?

It’s a social surrealist comic play about what happens when you don’t get out much. 

Nicola and Karren are two friends who have shared the same flat for decades and have developed an odd way of relating to each other, full of in-jokes and private allusions. 

Jayne is a little younger and is trying to improve her elocution under Nicola’s tutelage.

The play is set on a week night in summer when Nicola invites Jayne to have dinner with her and Karren at their flat. As she adjusts to her hosts’ eccentric world, she discovers reserves of her own weirdness, including memories of a bizarre date she went on aged seventeen.

How did you come up with the name of your show that your taking to the Camden fringe?

The writer’s grandmother had a bottle of medicinal witch hazel that she kept unused in a wardrobe in her spare room, a room that resembles the flat which Nicola and Karren share.

Tell us a little bit about your style of show?

It’s an intense surrealist comedy. It’s linguistically rich with a fairly minimal plot. The audience should leave the theatre feeling mildly euphoric.

Those who’ve read the script have compared the writing to Harold Pinter, Monty Python, Abigail’s Party and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? although the writer’s main influences were Chris Morris and Eugene Ionesco.

What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at the fringe?

We really need to study the brochure more closely. ‘Heretic / Gallows’ sounds interesting.

Have you done the fringe before? What have been some of your favourite shows to date and why?

We haven’t done it as a company.

However, in 2015, our director was in an awe-inspiring production of The Bald Prima Donna by Eugene Ionesco at The Gatehouse Theatre. If you don’t know the play, it starts as a parody of stereotypically stilted English family life which degenerates into a festival of dizzying nonsense and non sequiturs. It’s sublime and, having watched other productions since, this was a superlative version. 

What advice would you give to others who want to perform at Camden Fringe next year?

Listen to the Camden Fringe podcasts which are full of extremely helpful advice. 

What is the best thing about performing at the Camden fringe?

We’ll see.

London can be an expensive place to perform in – what key advice would you give to performers that is a sort of life hack?

We’re not in a position to give advice.

What are your three favourite things about Camden?

The zoo. The shops. The zoo.

Favourite one liner you have done in a show and why?

My momma used to say ‘life is like a packet of Polos.’ She did not elaborate.

Who would be your ultimate dream audience member?

The wonderful Caroline Langrishe.

The iconic image of the Camden Fringe is the Pigeon – if you could call this years pigeon a name to represent its style what would it be and why?

We’d like to call him Bernard – in tribute to Bernard Cribbins who was in our favourite version of Hamlet.

If people want to find out more about you where can they follow you on social media?

We’re on Twitter – @weepinglemonade. 

Also, last Christmas, we made a hauntological festive comedy album featuring sketches and monologues backed with an 80s retro-synth accompaniment from the musical genius, Nick Gill. Essentially, Blue Jam but with vaporwave. 

Cairo Time | Cairo Time (bandcamp.com) 

And Finally in three words – Why should people come and see the show?

Bobby Orange beanbag.