Jenny Sealey shares her experience on stage in Edinburgh for her one-woman show, Self-Raising
Self Raising began life when I was part of The Egg Incubator programme which gave me the opportunity to explore adapting Anne Fine’s book Flour Babies. As with so many theatre creations, this took a left curve over dinner with the other artists. We were sharing stories of our lives and when I did mine, Kate Cross AD of The Egg and the other artists said ‘Jen you are a flour baby. You need to be in your show.’ I thought they were being ridiculous, but when I started some R&D with my trusted friend, writer Mike Kenny holding me through the week, I realised they were right.
Fast forward to August 2023. I did 23 performances at Queens Dome, Pleasance Dome at Edinburgh Fringe Festival under the umbrella of Soho Theatre at Fringe. It has been an incredible privilege to go back to acting after 31 years of directing. I loved being directed by Lee Lyford (Theatre IOLO Cardiff) with assistant director Daryl Jackson who was also the BSL consultant working with my four sign language interpreters who did a week each on stage with me. I loved how the script evolved as Chris Champion (who was our audio description consultant) gave us creative ways in keeping the language within the context of the whole narrative. Rehearsals were fast and furious and exciting and then the first sharing. Oh the nerves.
On stage in Edinburgh
They were profound but the same nerves as I get opening any show, but this time it was me and my interpreter on display! Our audiences were warm and generous and I loved telling them the story I had to tell and having my whole family (metaphorically) on stage with me.
It was also lovely having my Dad’s 92-year-old cousin and her four daughters seeing the show and telling me some of the family secrets they are dealing with and a photo of my great grandfather who ran away from Dorset to Glasgow when he was 12 years old because he discovered a family secret.
That was a lovely part – talking to other audience members who told me their family secrets. Like I say in the play, “it is easier to tell secrets to strangers”. I loved being part of the Fringe and getting to see other work lead by disabled people including Flawboard, Elf and Duffy and work at Deaf Action. The damnable thing was so much of our work was programmed at the same time so there. So much I did not see.
We are now preparing to tour the show. The journey of Self Raising continues and I know the creative team have plans to rework and finesse the play and my acting!!! There are certainly no laurels for me to rest on.