The cast of hit Fringe gig theatre show Valerie have been pursuing their goal of promoting good mental health and wellbeing offstage and on during their time in Edinburgh.
The production, at Summerhall, uses powerful music, spoken word, personal experience and science to dig deep into one family’s experience of mental health issues across the generations – and the love and dedication which held them together.
It has had a string of ★★★★ reviews from The Scotsman, The Stage, Broadway Babyand Fringe Guru.
Writer and performer Robin Kelly, who like other members of his family, has suffered from mental ill health is keen to highlight how a multitude of factors including lifestyle can have an impact.
He and his wife, and co-performer, Cherie Moore believe that something as straightforward as giving a home to a dog can be a huge positive. Getting out into the natural environment can also be highly therapeutic – along with other forms of self-care.
This week they went to Portobello to escape the frenzy of the Fringe for a while and met gentle-natured 7-year-old rescue greyhound TJ (who was rehomed through the Scottish Greyhound Sanctuary) along with Dash the West Highland Terrierwhile taking some time out from the frenzy of the Fringe on the beach.
Kelly said:“There are so many factors that can help or damage your mental health and wellbeing. Self-care can make all the difference.
“A lot of performers, including us, can really feel the pressure when we’re on tour. Cherie, Tom and me try to get out and do stuff together to work off the stress.
“And I love dogs, so wherever we go I get pictures of the ones we meet and put them up on Instagram. Meeting these two and finding out about just how many ex-racing greyhounds there are that need homes, and what brilliant pets they make, was really interesting.”
Kelly and Moore have their own dog, Dexter the Griffon, back home in New Zealand.
Moore said:“Edinburgh has been a fantastic place for us – it’s a city of such incredible variety. And we really loved being able to explore. We had no idea before coming here that it has somewhere as magical as Portobello where you can kick off your shoes and take a walk on the beach.
“The history, the culture, the warmth of the people make Edinburgh a really special place to visit – especially when it’s all wrapped up with being part of the biggest arts festival on Earth.”
Valerieis a work of inter-generational cabaret theatre inspired by Kelly’s grandmother’s battle to support a troubled family. The show goes into dark places. But ultimately it is about love.
This was a family where seemingly joyous quirkiness slid into despair and dislocation through the nearly overwhelming impact of severe mental illness. Kelly’s grandmother Valerie was their bulwark.
Valeriewas chosen as a standout work of 2016 by the New Zealand Herald, which described it as “wonderfully intense and moving”. It was called a “close to a perfect piece of theatre” by Pantograph Punch, “an intensely intimate piece of ‘gig theatre’ ” by OnMagand “excellent, moving theatre, devised and performed with skill and a lot of heart” by Theatre Review.
The Fringe is the first chance outside New Zealand to see Valerie which isdirected by Benjamin Henson andpresented by Last Tapes Theatre Company. The company has a long, successful track record The Last Five Years, Verbatim,Earnest, Fallout: The Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, Love and Information) and sums up its ethos as “theatre that gives a shit”.
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Notes for editors
Pictures by Colin Hattersley
Listings Details
- Venue: Summerhall, Cairns Lecture Theatre
- Dates: 3-26 August, preview 1 August
- Time: 21:15
- Duration: 65 mins
- Ticket prices: Full price £12, concessions £10, preview £5
- Box office: www.summerhall.co.uk/book-tickets/ and https://tickets.edfringe.com
- Valerie is written by Robin Kelly,composed and performed by Robin Kelly, Tom Broome and Cherie Moore, directed by Benjamin Henson andpresented by Last Tapes Theatre Company.See www.lasttapes.co.nz
For media information contact Matthew Shelley at [email protected].