EDINBURGH 2023: Michelle Brasier Guest Blog

Michelle Brasier guest blogs for BroadwayWorld about bringing Reform to the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Nick Cave’s Red Right Hand rings out into the cinema. Sidney Prescot runs upstairs, and we roll our eyes. Upstairs Sidney? Where the killer can corner you and make you listen to a whole ass monologue before killing you? C’mon! Alright, no worries babe, just don’t come crying to me when you’re dead. I used to roll my eyes at her too. But I still loved Scream. And I love Sidney Prescot. In a way I became her. 

Right at the 35-minute mark of my show, like clockwork, comes the chorus from the audience. Screams, roars of disbelief and a smattering of people very loudly saying ‘WHAT? NO!’ I’ve just gotten to the part of the story where Jacob, a man who scammed me online, asks me to be his emergency contact. It also marks just 20 minutes left in the show for me to try and convince them that I was right to say ‘yes’.

My name is Michelle, I’m Australian you might know me from Aunty Donna, my show Average Bear or one of those podcasts you listen to when you’re alone to fill the void. But if we haven’t met, the important thing about me is - I’ve always been someone who sees the best in everyone. If someone cuts me off in traffic, I don’t bang on my car horn and give them the finger. I wave and say ‘Ooh! Toot toot, good luck with the baby, I assume!’ 

When I tried to buy a Pilates reformer from a man 2 states over, I didn’t realise it was the moment I was choosing to lose $500 and to make a friend. 

You see, as the days went by and the seller, Jacob, went silent on me. I started to suspect something was wrong. But because I am who I am, because I’m Sidney Prescot - needing to see the face, the heart, of the killer - even if it kills me - I didn’t go to the police. I instead asked Jacob why he was in this position. I was more interested in how a person gets to a place where they scam someone on Facebook marketplace using their own profile - complete with all the information needed to report him to the police. I had his workplace, footy club, parents and friends contact details. I needed to know why someone would risk so much just for $500? Was he stupid or was he desperate? The answer turned out to be - yes. Both. 

Over the course of a few months, Jacob opened up to me in the way that we can only open up to strangers. We talked on the phone. I would give him deadlines to get my money back to me and then counsel him through his disappointment in himself when he didn’t make them. He shared a lot with me. He had a problem with gambling, drugs, alcohol. Anything you could be addicted to, he was addicted to it. He was struggling to stay above water. I don’t believe in cutting people off when they behave poorly. We owe each other more than that. I know we can’t always offer each other 2nd, 3rd chances but imagine if we safely could! 

My relationship with Jacob made me realise that Sidney Prescot isn’t stupid for running upstairs - she is curious, and she is doing her best. That people aren’t villains, they are trapped under something and fighting to get out. That under every ghostface mask there is a sad boy who has made lots of mistakes, desperate for a hug and destined for prison. And that if you make a show, full of songs and jokes exploiting your own exploitation then you get to do your own whole ass monologue. Sidney’s turn, bitch.

Michelle Brasier: Reform will be performed at 7pm in Gilded Balloon Teviot (Dining Room) from 2nd – 27th August (Not 16th)

Booking link: https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:4594/

Photo credit: Nick Robertson

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