EDINBURGH 2017: BWW Q&A- Died Blondes

Tell us a bit about Died Blondes.

Two infamous women, Marilyn Monroe and Ruth Ellis, both perceived as dumb blondes. I wanted to give them their voice. Although they used men, men abused them, with dire consequences. Their mental health suffered and both women lost their lives - Ruth Ellis was the last woman to be executed in Britain for the murder of her lover and Marilyn Monroe died in her Los Angeles home. Conspiracy theories abound. Was it suicide, as the LA Police concluded, or misadventure or even murder?

I wanted to find a way into the hearts and minds of these women during the final moments of their lives and try to discover what they really thought and felt. Infamous women. Famous last words.

Why bring it to Edinburgh?

As a 57 year old died blonde, this is my time. I have performed the show everywhere from London to Plymouth, time to head to Nirvana, just off the Royal Mile. I first came to the Edinburgh Fringe with one of my 3 husbands who was doing stand-up. I was in the audience and would've leapt from my seat onto that stage had I not been 8 months pregnant.

How has the show been received so far?

'Electrifying.' 'Brilliant.' 'Imaginative.' 'Profound.'

What sets it apart from other shows at the Fringe?

One of the organisers at the Brighton Fringe said she'd seen a lot of spoken word and performance but she'd 'never seen anything like Died Blondes.' I like to think she meant that in a good way. The show is very simple, just 2 monologues from iconic blondes. I perform Marilyn Monroe from behind a screen. That way the audience can think about Marilyn rather than have to look at me. Ruth Ellis died in the 50's. Marilyn Monroe in the 60's. Different times but some women still face similar issues - addiction, rejection and declining mental health.

Who would you recommend comes to see it?

Women! From died blondes to red heads and ever hue and colour in-between! And men who love women for all our flaws.

I hope they will feel they are right there, with Marilyn and Ruth. As they listen to their last words I want them to question why these two disturbed women behaved as they did. I'd like the audience to empathise not only with Marilyn and Ruth but with women who are vulnerable although may appear to the outsider as strong. It's a dark piece but the audience know it doesn't have a happy ending. Ideally, I'd like the audience to understand Ruth Ellis and discover her as a real person rather than her tag as 'last woman to be hanged in Britain'. I hope people will rethink what happened to Marilyn and consider the irony of one of the world's most desirable and loved women dying in bed, alone.

Timings and ticket information for Died Blondes are available on the edfringe website.

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