Guest Blog: EDINBURGH 2024: Gigi Tisminetzky on HOW TO KILL A CHICKEN

Gigi Tisminetzky guest blogs for BroadwayWorld about bringing How To Kill A Chicken to the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

A young girl embarks on her dream holiday, learning to surf and going horseback riding on deserted beaches. She falls in love with her surf instructor - it's the quintessential cliché of a holiday sex-fuelled romance. This dreamlike retelling is accompanied by a cellist whose music sings, weeps and laughs, becoming a character in its own right. Together, they reveal the raw truth of the female experience: even in paradise, things are never as wonderful as they seem.

I wrote this play before the events that took place in Italy last year - similar to the brutal murders in these past weeks in the UK - but it was the energy, anger and strength of women protesting that inspired me and gave me the courage to own my voice. I believe it is imperative to address the issue of violence against women, in all its subtle nuances.

Much of my life has been shaped by the repercussions of childhood abuse. I was fortunate enough to receive the support I needed to function, but a sense of alienation from myself and the world has always lingered. Those who know me often see only my sunny side up - a joyous, at times flamboyant, playful character. Yet being a victim of abuse takes something from you. A part of oneself gets lost, buried under shame and swallowed by guilt. This loss manifests in various ways. Some may be riddled with anxiety, others might lose their smiles to depression. Some manage to conceal their pain well, resorting to silent tears in the office bathroom. And then there's anger - a destructive force that seeps into the happy moments of your life, proving that, no, you are not worthy of joy. You might manage to forget about it and move on with your life until suddenly, the memory of the assault punches you in the gut while you’re queuing at the grocery store. In an instant, you’re five again, and that family friend is caressing you like a cat.

I see you, ladies; I’ve been there too. 

On my birthday last year, something happened - suddenly, I was a cat again. I still struggle to name it: the assault, rape. Why is it so difficult, still?  And how did I let it happen, again? I’ve tried the therapy thing - all of the therapy things - I’ve seen shamans and healers to try to get that f*cking cat out of me. And then I wrote a play, How To Kill a Chicken. Writing was my clumsy way to make sense of it - not just of my experience, but of what we all share: resilience. Each morning, choosing to wear our favourite shirt and stepping out into the world despite everything, is an act of rebellion, a revolution of courage. I wrote this play to celebrate us, revolutionary women. How To Kill a Chicken is an ode to you.

Midori Jager, award-winning cellist and composer, is writing the most extraordinary music and I cannot wait to share it with you! She will perform live: her character, the cello, is central to the story, helping the protagonist to confront her trauma through humour and at times, raw, brutal truth. Edinburgh will be a game changer, not just to this project's growth, but to the audiences we hope to engage with around topics of mental health and women's empowerment. We’ve partnered up with The Survivors Trust to whom we will be donating a portion of our profits from ticket sales.

How To Kill A Chicken runs from 13 to 26 August at Underbelly Bristo Square at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Photo Credit: Stewart Bywater

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