Brandished the title of an inherently annoying sub-section of society, KAREN has become the focus of Sarah Cameron-West's production, soon to embark on an Edinburgh Fringe run. Her unnamed character navigates tragically hilarious circumstances and will sweep you along on the ride.
Sarah is the writer and performer of KAREN and has spoken more about what it entails.
Can you give us a hint of what the show is about and why to see it?
KAREN is a fast-paced one-woman comedy that has been described as “Fleabag meets Peep Show” (Operation Live Theatre) and “A Modern Day Bridget Jones” (A Youngish Perspective). It follows the comic emotional rollercoaster of our Protagonist who gets dumped on her 30th birthday at Alton Towers. Things go from bad to worse when her ex starts dating her arch-nemesis: Karen. And the cherry on top? They all work in the same office. If you want laughter, tears and to witness office
pandemonium, KAREN is for you.
What inspired the creation of the production, and what has been the most rewarding part of the development process so far?
KAREN initially started as a 10-minute monologue that won Velvet Smoke’s Project Passion competition with the prize being to perform the piece at the White Bear Theatre in Kennington. I was inspired by whether you could merge the fun of audience interaction whilst removing the pressure from the audience to have to say something back, how you can have a one-sided conversation and still know exactly what is happening and what the other person is saying. I then worked with my tremendous director Evie Ayres-Townsend to bring that 10 minutes into a full 50-minute piece of theatre. The whole process has been incredibly rewarding but I have to say preparing for Edinburgh round 2 after two sell-out runs in London and Birmingham to finesse the show to the best it can be has been incredibly exciting and I can’t wait to share it with the Fringe audience a year on.
Which element of your character most closely relates to your own experience?
I love this question as people always ask whether the Protagonist’s story is based on my personal experience. Although the story is totally fictitious, (I have never been dumped at Alton Towers), the relationships and universal themes are something that I can relate to therefore could write the story from a position of truth. It is a story about heartbreak and I have been heartbroken. It is a story about comparing yourself to others, which I have done. It is a story about self-acceptance and the journey to achieving that which I am currently on. It helps me as an actor that I have felt all of these emotions and it allows me to pour them into the show; I think that is why people resonate with KAREN because everyone has had experience with the key elements in the show and it refracts that through a humorous lens.
What defines your style as incorporating emotion, chaos and comedy, and why are audiences drawn to this?
I have always loved when comedy walks hand in hand with tragedy which is the same for many people. It makes both emotions more compelling when they are working alongside each other. It allows them to be clearer and more resonant for an audience and ensures that they never get comfortable but are always on the edge of their seat waiting for the next twist whether that is going to make them belly laugh or sucker punch them in the feels. However, the reason I did it in KAREN was for this reason but also as an acting challenge for myself to oscillate between laughing one minute and crying the next. It has been such fun and has greatly improved my skillset as an actor.
How does breaking the fourth wall allow for a deeper relationship between the character and those watching the narrative unfold?
I think audience interaction hooks people in early on and brings an excitement into the theatre as it suddenly makes the character unpredictable. It also makes you feel like you are in that character's world which allows you to foster a deeper sense of empathy for the character you are watching and allows you to feel like a key component in their story which I wanted to take a step further by involving the audience as characters in Protagonist’s show.
If you were having dinner with the protagonist, what would you be discussing over the table?
That she should go to therapy. Seriously.
What are you most looking forward to about taking on the Edinburgh Fringe?
I am so excited to return to Edinburgh as it is my favourite place to be in August – honestly there is nowhere better. You see so many incredible shows for a fraction of a London ticket price, all my creative friends are there but you also meet new people, and to top it all off you are getting to act every day which in this industry is a total blessing! I am excited to bring KAREN back to where it all started and to show people how far it has come.
Big thanks to Sarah for some wonderful contributions - I'd love to hear how that dinner conversation would go! Best wishes for the Fringe and beyond.
Get tickets to KAREN here:
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