Edinburgh Fringe Fest - IrrePRESSible

The name of Lady Emma Hamilton may not be familiar to most of the public anymore but that’s about to change thanks to a new musical based on her life called IrrePRESSible. Widely considered one of the world’s first celebrities, Lady Emma was famous for her beauty, dancing naked on tables and her affair with Lord Nelson, which was one of the biggest scandals of the day. This historical musical sees tabloid journalist Beth travel back in time where herself and the 18th century’s answer to Kim Kardashian examine the media and celebrity to a genre hopping score.

The show has been written by journalist and podcaster Gillian Lacey-Solymar. We spoke to her about the move from writing articles to musicals and making her Fringe debut

Tell us about your show. IrrePRESSible tells (or, rather, sings) a story you see regularly on the front pages but have probably never actually heard of. We’re retelling the life of Emma Hamilton, England’s first ‘It-girl’, through the eyes of a modern journalist transported back to the 18th century. Though the story may be old, IrrePRESSible is brimming with novelty: we’re making our Fringe debut with an original score and lyrics that will stick with you long after curtain down. We have a wonderful cast of five new talents, who sing, dance, and multi-role their way across the life events that made Emma the Kim K of her day. Why make a musical of the story? What more fitting way to tell the story of someone famed for their dancing, singing, and all-round charm than a musical? Emma Hamilton’s story has such highs - and lows - that it felt like it needed more attention than it’s received, and to be told in its own right (not just in reference to her lover, Nelson). The medium of a musical allows us to grapple with all of this with a light touch - we want to leave the audience reflective but upbeat! How have you found the transition from writing as a journalist to writing a musical? Simultaneously, very strange and very natural. How does that make sense at all? Well, the creativity is drug-induced. Obviously I don’t mean that in a ‘70s way - I’m talking about the drugs I take for my Young Onset Parkinson’s. It’s definitely the side-effect that I’m most thankful for, because without it I’d never have imagined carrying the seed of an idea about IrrePRESSible all the way to the Fringe. What do you want the audience to take away from the show? Well, first of all, I want them to be humming the tunes in the shower. But after, once they manage to get them out of their head, I want the audience to be ruminating on the themes of the show. Emma’s story is everywhere today still - just look at the treatment of Megan Markle, Caroline Flack - and I hope that people will be pointing out the parallels when they spot them. After all, IrrePRESSible tackles some big issues - but we want to keep a light touch and leave the audience feeling upbeat and ready for change. What are you most looking forward to about Edinburgh Fringe? ‘Everything’ is probably slightly too much of a blanket answer, but it’s true: I’m looking forward to the atmosphere, the challenges, the nerves. Putting on our first show. Talking to our audiences. Seeing other people’s work. Meeting creatives from around the world. Experiencing the Fringe for the first time as a performer is something that you only get to do once, and this year it’s our turn to be bewildered and excited by everything the Fringe has to offer! IrrePRESSible plays at The Space @ Niddry Street, Upper Theatre, 14-20 Aug 2023, 15.15 and The Space @ Venue 45, 21 – 26 Aug 2023, 12.15. For tickets go to https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/irrepressible.