Skank: Interview with writer and performer Clem

Growing up in France in the middle of bumblef*ck nowhere meant that I didn’t watch a theatre show until I moved to England and studied Drama GCSE, so I grew up on films that my mum brought back from her trips to the UK.

Skank: Interview with writer and performer Clem

Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?

Hello dear friend! I’m Clem, a writer/performer/yoga teacher/French tutor from Leigh near Manchester and I’m bringing my one-woman show Skank back to The Pleasance for the Edinburgh Fringe 2022! 

How would you describe your show?

Skank is A-LOT. There’s a-lot going on! It’s been described as a slice of life and I would agree! Kate’s just going about her day-to-day business and then suddenly she has an audience! BOOM! You’re there and she loves you being there (mostly). You’re taken for a ride in Kate’s life and just like life; it’s sometimes funny, sometimes absurd, sometimes infuriating and sometimes painful - and on top of all of that, you’ve got a bean can to recycle. 

Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

I want to perform at EdFringe because I want to be surrounded and inspired by the vast amount of talent that is up there. A lot of my favourite performers started out on the Fringe circuit and I am essentially trying to follow in their footsteps and trust the process until I RULE THE WORLD! Or get an agent who believes in me and my work and wants to support/push me towards my career dreams. 

What differentiates it from other festivals?

Unfortunately, I haven’t been to any festivals outside of the UK and only a handful on home turf. But in my microscopic experience, EdFringe is different because of the sheer scale and variety of shows on offer. There is literally something for everyone, there’s real innovation and a thirst to take risks and push boundaries, it’s essentially a month-long dose of unparalleled inspiration. 

What first motivated you to enter the industry? Who were your inspirations?

Growing up in France in the middle of bumblef*ck nowhere meant that I didn’t watch a theatre show until I moved to England and studied Drama GCSE, so I grew up on films that my mum brought back from her trips to the UK. I am completely obsessed with films. Mum was mainly into action movies and I grew up loving Indiana Jones, Braveheart and, my all-time favourite, The Last of the Mohicans. I want to create theatre, TV and films that make people feel A LOT OF STUFF. My inspirations are never-ending, I sometimes give myself creative paralysis as I learn so much about people who I find amazing and realise that I will never be them so what’s the point. It’s a problem. My current obsessions: Natasia and Jamie Demetriou, Stath Lets Flats is one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen. Michaela Coel, don’t think I need to explain this one. Daniel Rigby, everything he does makes me laugh and then he makes me cry. His audiobook, Isaac Steele and the Forever Man, is one of the funniest and most well-crafted things to enter my ears. 

How has your background, upbringing and education had an impact on your artistic career?

My mum is an artist and my dad is self-employed, and I think growing up around parents who don’t have regular 9-5 jobs makes that world unfamiliar. I’ve never been good at having jobs where I’m expected to turn up at certain times and certain days, I just don’t get why I have to go in if I don’t feel like it. Needless to say, I’ve been sacked a fair few times. I’d say that my upbringing meant that I was more comfortable and familiar with a self-employed/fly by the seat of your pants/you’ll be broke forever and ever amen lifestyle but I wouldn’t say it’s had an impact on the work that I make. It probably informs everything I do but I haven’t had enough therapy to see it. 

What is your earliest childhood art memory?

Making a Santa Claus Christmas tree decoration out of the cardboard bit inside toilet roll, with glitter and fluffy cotton filling (for his beard). I still have him and will be hanging him up every Christmas until he disintegrates. Poor thing. 

If you didn’t have your current job, what would you probably be doing?

I like to think that I’d be in MI5 because I studied Arabic and there were always whispers of MI5 and MI6 jobs in the Middle Eastern Studies block. But fortunately for the country, I was too preoccupied with becoming the next Olivia Coleman to think about domestic counterintelligence. 

Did Covid-19 change the way you create work? Do you approach shows with a different mentality now?

I’ve got to be honest and say I don’t think so no. I wasn’t particularly productive creatively throughout lockdown. It was a relief to not think about my career for a bit and just focus on making pizza from scratch and beating my personal best 5km time. (26 mins 06 seconds).

Describe the last year in 5 words or less?

An embarrassing amount of procrastination. 

Do you subscribe to the idea that art should be exempt from ‘cancel culture’?

Oh bloody ‘ell! That’s so hard to answer. I guess it depends on the knock-on effect. If an offensive piece of art sparks off interesting and inclusive conversations then maybe it has its place within society, but if its purpose is to incite hatred and violence then maybe there’s an argument for it to be ‘cancelled’. I’m assuming I’m like a lot of people who don’t want to censor artists but who also don’t want to hurt or marginalise anyone for the sake of a piece of art. It’s such an inflammatory topic; one which needs more open conversation without all sides cancelling each other until there’s no one left speaking, ending in no resolution. 

If you could work with anybody, from any point in history, who would you pick and why?

I’d like to have worked with Julia Davis in the improv troupe which included Rob Brydon and Ruth Jones in the 80s. My plan would be to become best mates with Julia and follow her around, hopefully meeting the comedy genius that is Vicki Pepperdine along the way and (fingers crossed) being close enough to Rob Brydon to meet and work with Steve Coogan. My rationale being that you surely can’t help to push yourself creatively if you’re surrounded by that calibre of talent. 

What advice would you give to someone who wants to take a show up to the fringe?

Come up to the fringe for as long as you can afford and go see as many different shows in as many different venues as possible! Get a feel for the madness and write a list of your favourite venues and why. Talk to as many different people working at the Fringe and get feedback from different people’s experiences of the fringe, including how they’ve managed to pay for their time at the Fringe (if they’re happy to tell you that). The main obstacle to going to the Fringe is the cost of it, so being realistic about how you can raise the funds to go to Edinburgh and being open to options like the Free Fringe. 

When and where can people see your show?

You can see Skank at Pleasance Two in the Pleasance Courtyard from Wednesday 3rd to Monday 29th August (excl. Tues 16th) at 4:40pm! Come one and all!

And where can people find, follow and like you online?

Follow us on all the socials behbeh! Instagram: skank_the_play, twitter: skanktheplay, Facebook: sk4nktheplay, tiktok: clementinebogghargroves


Skank, Pleasance Courtyard (Pleasance 2), 4.40pm, 3-29 August (not 16). For tickets and more information, visit: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/skank-1#overview 

Header Image Credit: Future Artists

Author

Tom Inniss

Tom Inniss Voice Team

Tom is the Editor of Voice. He is a politics graduate and holds a masters in journalism, with particular interest in youth political engagement and technology. He is also a mentor to our Voice Contributors, and champions our festivals programme, including the reporter team at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

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