Nana Funk is ready to bring a touch of Nana pizazz to the Lambeth Fringe this year. I have caught up with her ahead of the Fringe beginning.

What was the inspiration behind your show?  

I noticed quite some years ago that as we get older we are bombarded with messages from the media, adverts, films…everywhere really, that we should be trying to “stop the clock”, to “defy age” and hide all of things that show that we’re getting older.  So I decide to give my opinion on all of that…through the best way I know how…song.

How long has your production been in progress?

The show actually came from an Arts Council funded R&D for another of my shows, Tough Old Bird, with Paperwork Theatre and Unity Theatre, Liverpool in 2020.  An Evening With Nana Funk is everything that didn’t go into Tough Old Bird with a bit extra.

Where are planning on taking the play next?

I’m on a bit of a fringe tour.  This year I’ve already taken the show to Prague Fringe, Guildford Fringe, I’m at Lambeth now and am next at Colchester Fringe.  I’ve also performed An Evening With Nana Funk for Cheshire WI and am hoping to make it back over to Prague for their Comedy Festival.  The goal is The London Palladium…

What would you like audiences to take away from your show?

I LOVE encouraging audiences to love themselves as they are.  To ignore those adverts and to do what the bloomin heck they want!!  Some of the audience responses from previous shows  include “Proper fun with a serious message – An Evening With Nana Funk will lift your spirits.”, “A fun and thoughtful take on the process of ageing disgracefully.”  And ultimately I want the audience to have a ruddy good time!

What are you looking forward to most about performing your show?

The show is an absolute joy to perform and changes each show.  This is partly due to my Ask Nana sections, where I answer audience questions in improvised songs on my ukulele (or a piano if there’s one lying around).  I can guarantee that some of these questions have me proper belly laughing each time.  And there will always be at least one that I can’t read out for being just TOO rude.   I also loving chatting to audience after the show as EVERYONE has a story about how they’ve been made to feel less because of their age.  Solidarity is a great thing.

Why did you choose your particular Fringe venue?

As well as providing a platform for new writing, Omnibus Theatre aims to “give voice to the underrepresented and challenge perceptions”.  This totally fits with the Nana Funk ethos!

Which shows at the Fringe are you planning on watching?

I’m an “one night only” gal this year as I’m popping down from Liverpool to do my show.  I am hoping to get to see Echoes by Lieve de Putter before my show and would love to do the Terrarium Workshop with Art4Space the day after.

Have you had any major hurdles to overcome to get this production on the stage?

I’ve had been a jobbing actor for 20 years and became a theatre make late into my 40’s.  I’ve discovered that age (here I go again) plays a massive factor in putting on shows.  The preconception is that “emerging” artists and writers are all in their twenties.  Most funding and mentoring programmes are geared for people who don’t have too many commitments.  And for music especially (again, I only started songwriting during lockdown), mentoring is geared for people who are able to commit to a full time commitment to touring, recording, writing etc.  As an older performer, I juggle my freelance work around a full time day job as a life on the road full time isn’t something that I can do anymore, both physically and mentally.  During rehearsals for the show we worked on flexible schedules to work around family, work and menopause brain fog.  Many development opportunities are not able to offer this which can be very limiting

Also, since starting the creative making process I’ve been diagnosed with arthritis which means that I physically can’t travel as easily as I once did.  And it’s true what they say…you don’t miss something until it’s gone! 

What other productions have you previously been involved with?

As Nana, as well as various cabarets across the country, I have another show touring show Tough Old Bird who’s journey started the same time as An Evening With Nana Funk.  Tough Old Bird is a heartfelt comedy musical play with original songs. 

As Angie, I am a founder member of Kabosh Theatre Company, Belfast and have performed with many companies over the past 30 years including The Lyric, Belfast; Bruiser Theatre; Belfast, The Lawrence Batley, Huddersfield; Illyia Touring; Headstrung Puppets, Liverpool to name a few.

An Evening With Nana Funk, Omnibus Theatre, 17 October at 9pm.

Please attach any social media links that you have.

https://www.nanafunkrocks.com/

https://www.instagram.com/nanafunkrocks/?hl=en-gb

https://m.facebook.com/nanafunk01/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9Wd8PecAMwxQ8K8NvSUPQ