Comedian Tegan Verheul leaves no stone (cold) unturned in her unflinchingly raw autobiographical debut that grapples with heartbreak, friendship and the healing power of bloodsport. A knockout solo show about one woman’s love of pro wrestling. Part confessional, part exuberant oral history of sports entertainment’s greatest matches and most loved characters.
Tell us about your show.
Chokeslam is a love letter to wrestling, and to my friends. It’s sort of an oral history of the Attitude Era, an introduction to wrestling for non-fans, plus me spilling my deepest darkest secrets. It’s got balls-to-the-wall physical storytelling, a few very vulnerable moments, and some unexpected twists and turns. You will laugh and maybe cry and definitely definitely leave a wrestling fan.
Do you wrestle in your show?
No! I’m incredibly awkward physically and too risk averse to attempt any such stunts. I would say, however, that I do wrestle with some hard truths. I wrestle with my emotions. I wrestle with the role I played in the evolution and dissolution of my marriage. I wrestle with the fear that I am, perhaps, fundamentally unlovable. And I wrestle, as we all do, with the idea of forgiveness.
How does it feel to be back at the Edinburgh Fringe?
I am soooooo excited to be returning to the Fringe. Getting to spend a month doing what I love most in the world? Completely immersed in theatre? Seeing new shows every day and being inspired by all the beautiful performers? There’s nothing like it. There’s a reason people get addicted to doing the Fringe. Part of me is terrified it won’t live up to last year (which was my first year), and part of me is so looking forward to applying the lessons I learned both as a performer and as an attendee.
Have you got any tips for comedians going up to the festival for the first time?
Prioritise your health. And party hard. Doing the Fringe is a marathon, not a sprint, so it’s important to set yourself up for success by having consistent energy and avoiding burnout. I do this through routine, through being really disciplined with getting enough nutrient-dense protein-rich food and taking supplements and walking a ton and napping when I’m tired. And then I balance that out by staying up all night at the artist bars, fuelled entirely by Coke Zero and Ginja Ninja.
Make new friends and enrich your creative connections, dance off all the adrenaline because you only live once and walking home down the Royal Mile as the sun rises hand-in-hand with your Fringe crush is a beautiful thing.
Who are the funny women you would recommend seeing in Edinburgh this year?
My friend Sikisa (who’s also a huge wrestling fan and hosts WrestleClub Podcast, which you should definitely listen to!) is bringing her WIP Sikisa… Needs You to Monkey Barrel this year.
Of course my friend, creative partner, and co-founder of WWWC Diana Feng is bringing her solo show Don’t Call Me China Doll to Underbelly, and it’s honestly the show I’m most excited to see this year.
My pal Rosie Nicholls is one half of the sketch duo Grubby Little Mitts, and they’re bringing two shows to Assembly. I’ll have to buy tickets because they’re sure to be sold out.
And finally, my sweet friend and Edinburgh’s own Mara Joy will be performing with Spontaneous Potter: The Unofficial Improvised Parody at Assembly as well!
Chokeslam by Tegan Verheul takes place at Assembly George Square at 17:50 – 18:50 from 31st July to 25th August. Book tickets here.
