EDINBURGH 2023: I've Got Some Things to Get Off My Chest Q&A

BWW catches up with Eva Lily to chat about bringing I’ve Got Some Things to Get Off My Chest to the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about I’ve Got Some Things To Get Off My Chest.

I’ve always been a bigger busted girl and that has come with a lot of pressures, anxiety and pain and by the time I was 23, I was desperate for a breast reduction but, unable to afford it privately, I made an appointment with my GP. I’ve Got Some Things To Get Off My Chest, is the story of that experience and in particular it’s the story of the medical misogyny I encountered within this process, as well as wider exploration of underfunded, under-researched, under-respected female healthcare.

As I went through the process with the NHS, I found that I was starting to collect funny, ridiculous, sad stories and although so many of the stories were laughable, that made them even more heartbreaking. I originally thought about developing a comedy podcast where women could share stories of medical misogyny but eventually my stories started to piece together to become a one woman show!

Why did you want to share this story?

For a long time, I felt incredibly isolated going through this journey - both in terms of the pain and anxiety I felt having big boobs and then from the way I was treated by the NHS, where I found my experience being constantly disregarded and dismissed by sexist health standards. I also realised that once I started telling the terrible and strange stories from this experience, my female friends and family members started to tell stories of not being believed or being given sexist medical advice that they’d previously been too embarrassed to share. It made me understand the power of opening up a conversation.

Sharing this story is all about continuing that conversation; to stop anyone else feeling isolated, to empower women (or indeed anyone affected by prejudices in medicine) to advocate for their health and to encourage us to examine the ongoing influence of the patriarchy on female health care. I know the struggles the NHS are facing with funding cuts and lack of support and I feel so grateful to have access to free healthcare, but I wanted this story to examine the inequalities within the system to improve the experience for everyone.

Also - I think we should talk about big boobs more! When I was 13 and mortified about the size of my boobs, all anyone could really tell me was it was good to have big boobs, but there’s SO much more to them than that!

Tell us a bit about the creative team involved.

This play really would not have come to life if it wasn’t for my constant collaborator Constance Eldon McCaig - we’d co-written and produced a play together in 2019, and when I told her that I wanted to write about this experience, and perform it, she was incredibly supportive. As well as dramaturgical support, Constance directed our original R&D process for the piece and our work-in-progress showing. After this showing, we’ve been lucky enough to bring on Marieke Audsley to direct the full version, with Constance supporting as the resident. It’s been so brilliant working with Marieke because she’s been able to challenge me as a writer and a performer and with her experience directing comedy she finds these amazingly fun, light hearted moments in the script to balance its serious nature.

It’s been such a joy working with a fully female creative team, and in particular one that is so passionate about the story. In the rehearsal room we often find ourselves sharing stories and there’s a real sense of understanding, compassion and empathy that I think is really special and built into the fabric of the play.

Who would you like to come and see it?

While this play is for people who feel that they have been let down by doctors or health care systems because it’s an opportunity for their experiences to be recognised and shared, I also think there is lots for people to learn from and in creating this play we knew we wanted to make a piece that could have a productive and inclusive dialogue - so everyone!

What would you like audiences to take away from it?

I’d like audiences to start talking; as I’ve said before, sharing experiences is so powerful and I really think we can only ever hope to make change by first identifying and naming issues. I’d really like for audiences to be encouraged to reflect on their own experiences with doctors and medicine and understand if the system is working for them or against them.

And I should say - I want audiences to have a laugh too! Humour and comedy is so central to this play because it’s always been so important to me navigating through the more difficult, frustrating aspects of this experience. Laughter is such a tonic and audiences coming to I’ve Got Some Things To Get Off My Chest are in for a fun hour!

Tickets are available at https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:4939/

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