For the past 4 years, every December I blog my year - I'm the Sarah Jessica Parker of live art! I often feel weird about doing it as I never want it to come across as an exercise in ego but its slightly inevitable.
This blog is a break down of the highs from the last year that will get me through the blues of the new year but most importantly its a chance to thank you for supporting the silly projects I invent in my studio and reveal whats on the cards for the next 12 months.
This year has been insane...
January
I started work at BBC Radio 4 as a co-host on Loose Ends. My first interview? Cleo Rocos! She made me drink tequila at 10am and told me stories of her nights out with Princess Diana (in drag!), knocking back shots at the RVT! The Worst of Scottee (WOS) photobooth was sent to Melbourne and I fell in love with Australia! There I met some beautiful queers in Sydney (you might remember I blogged about finding queer there). The show gained 4 star reviews across the board and I flew home happy, sun burnt and ready for more international-ness. It's here I realised that London isn't the centre of the world.
February
No sooner was I back from Oz with that photo booth was I readying myself for its debut London run. I decided I wanted to be a bit Les Mis about this show - do it regionally first and bring it into London once it had a chance to live a little. Again, it stormed the reviews. I got 4 stars from Aunty Lyn Gardner which is no mean feat. My Mum called me an artist for the first time.Doing WOS across the road from the place a lot of the incidents I explore happened proved to be extremely emotional, I knew after the opening night that I couldn't do this show forever. Sometimes we make work that is damaging to ourselves, as much as that is a great for the punters it can be like picking a scab, repeatedly.
March/April
The show is surrounded by drama - people drop out, sponsors decide they no longer want to be a part of something promoting fatness, heat winners decide they don't want to do it anymore, venues pull out... I'm too old for the level of heartburn it induces.
To send the old girl off in style we hired Bloomsbury Ballroom for a night of ridiculousness! 400 fatties turned up to cheer on our four contestants, some of whom had come from as far as Germany!
As much as I love HBQ I also feel conflicted with presenting a one sided argument of 'FAT IS THE BEST'. With this in mind I set up shop at the South Bank Centre to research my dance show (Autumn 2017) with Lea Anderson...
Psst! There will be another Hamburger Queen but not in the UK - the show will hit Syndey in November 2015!
May
BritWeek is Americas way of embracing their love for our little island and inviting creatives to come and talk, present and party against the backdrop of the Hollywood Hills.
I had a brilliant time in LA with Felicity Hayward and Tamie - swimming in drag, playing hop scotch and even appearing on a cake alongside Gary Glitter (who knew?!).
June/July
Scottee inc. (the charity we set up to better support my community engaged work) turned 1!
Grandad and I set to work on our ageism project! We managed to raise £6k to enable him to make work, spend time with artists and produce a solo gallery show. Grandad is now a bit of a celebrity, LOL.
In the new year Grandad will be working towards his debut solo show! SCREAM! Keep up to date on his progress here - www.realliamgallagher.co.uk
August
Camp has gone from strength to strength since its first clumsy run in 2012. To date it's played fields, festivals, tenant halls, working men's club and old train depots!
2015 will see Camp continue to take over the world. We're planning a UK tour in the Autumn and a Christmas run in London!
September
Highlight of the festival calendar has to be Bestival! This year I bought 4 productions, 23 performers and 1 minibus to the island! We're back next year bigger than ever with a few surprises!
September saw the birth of Fraff, my poetry night for people who don't like poetry. I really love Fraff - it's a low key Friday night that's popular with my lesbian sisters. We drink cheap beer, eat sweets and laugh until a socially acceptable hour - whats not to love?
Next year Fraff will be popping up across the country at various festivals! We're on the look for open mic'ers - check out www.facebook.com/fraffing
October/November
The End of the WOS! We announced the final UK and Oz dates - I'd had enough! There is only so much crying in a photobooth you can do but I'm glad we got to go to as many parts of the country as possible.
I ceremoniously smashed up the photo booth, hungover after my closing night party...
...which felt amazing.
big shout out to Holly Revell for documenting all my work. Without people like her my projects become the things of (not so) legends.
Oh yeah and I got married.
December
My podcast After The Tone was invited to present a live version of the show at Tate Britain! Fancy! This was the first of two residencies at Tate. The next will see me making audio with complete strangers in January - http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/performance-and-music-special-event/towerblock-tracks Kristmas Karaoke this week was a lush way to end the season of tinsel! I've know Bourgeois & Maurice for going on a decade now - we're starting to feel old.
...and that was 2014! Thank you for spending your wages on my silly ideas! Without your support I can't show off, show the world its downfalls and make a nuisance of myself in the process.
Whats Next?
I turn 30 in 2015 and so at some point I'll have a nervous breakdown! Aside from that I have lots of exciting things on the cards. I'm directing a new UK tour, starting work on a New York commission, a quick trip to Perth, a brief stint in Edinburgh, a few dates in Asia and my 30th Birthday show that you're all invited to!
I really hope you are all able to make Camp NYE at Black Cap, I've booked Black Lace! It'll be a lush way to wave off 2014! FYI there are only 130 tickets left! www.campery.co.uk
That's enough about me... how are you?
xxxx
If you've got 2 minutes to spare could you fill out this quick survey? It'll help me know what you'd like to see more of... https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1W-MUcreDjADf8UhabrOYk0QTgBVCrWu3fKsCKoVQ6iA/viewform?usp=send_form
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