Tending, by El Blackwood, is based on the testimonies of seventy real life nurses who work for our much loved but under pressure National Health Service. In this verbatim theatre piece we witness the moments of tenderness that enable our NHS workers to keep on caring.
Tell us about your show. Why should we go and see it?
Tending is a genuinely powerful, moving and incredibly relevant piece of theatre. It’s the first ever verbatim show about NHS nurses, everything you hear on stage has been said by a real nurse from over 70 interviews. It’s funny, heart-wrenching and thought provoking.
What makes you laugh?
The people that always make me laugh are Catherine Cohen and Tom Ward – I saw them both for the first time a couple of years ago at the Fringe. When my friend and I saw Catherine Cohen as part of a variety show, I turned to him and pompously said ‘she’s gonna be big’ as if I’d discovered her – only to find out she’d already had a Netflix special.
What three words best describe your performance style – and why?
Collaborative, energetic and brat.
Do you have nerves about going on stage and how do you cope with them.
I WISH the answer was a cool, calm and collected no, but in all honesty I do. I move a lot, talk to people to stay out of my own head, and try and work through the thoughts / challenges facing the person I’m playing.
What’s your idea of a perfect Fringe feast and where will you eat it?
Before I was vegetarian, I would say a burger from Oink (cuff me!). But now, cooking a load of pasta with our company and having it at home with a glass of wine.
How will your audience think/feel differently after an hour in your company?
I hope the audience will have their perspective on nursing genuinely changed. I think they’ll learn a huge amount about what it means to care, the laughter that weaves the wards together, and I hope they want to talk about it with the people they’ve seen it with!
When did you first realise you were born to be on stage?
Oh gosh – has a British person ever answered this non-ironically?
Why do you think Edinburgh Fringe is so important to performers and artists around the world?
Edinburgh Fringe is an absolutely astonishing place to be. It’s hugely important to artists because we know that it’s possible to share our work with audiences who are all here to explore, connect, and hopefully give our work a future life.
How do you plan to relax and enjoy the city when you’re not performing.
Seeing as much as possible, eating toasties, and going to the beach at least once to eat some fish and chips.
Who is your showbiz idol and why.
Miriam Margolyes
What is your idea of a perfect Fringe moment?
Bumping into Miriam Margolyes in a toastie van queue, we strike up a conversation, I offer to buy her a toastie, she says no but insists we go for a gin and tonic. That turns into 5 and I wake up the next day to find my phone screen is an adorable picture of us trying to break into the Edinburgh Tattoo.
If anyone can put us in touch, I’ll give you two free tickets to Tending, and a toastie.
Tending, 14.15, Underbelly Cowgate, until August 25
