Seen by Federica at Edinburgh Festival Fringe on the 9^th of August 2024

5 stars – storming with energy and irony

A play about pro wrestling? Yes, but also about friendship, self-love and a broken marriage.

Tegan Verheul has an incredible charge of energy to drag the audience into her story so that they can’t let go of her. From the very start, she plays the card of irony, about herself as well as about wrestling. She introduces herself as a wrestling fan, and you will learn what it means if you don’t already.

Indeed, this show is not only for the aficionados (who will undoubtedly get more references), but also for complete newbies (like me). Within the first ten minutes, we are given all the instruments to navigate the rest of the show without feeling left behind, and without feeling that we are sitting in a class, either.

In the show’s narrative, Tegan Verheul’s passion for wrestling is intertwined with the story of her marriage. The transitions from one episode to the other are often linked to emotional turnovers, but they have the right timing to be mindful of the gait of the whole play. Presenting wrestling as the constructed show it is, a parallel is drawn between its fictionalisation of conflicts and models, and the complexity of real life. These more reflexive moments act as a counterpoint to the abundant humour and increased rhythm of the show: Tegan Verheul is a charismatic magnet.

2nd-25th August; 5.50 pm

Running time: 60 minutes

Venue: Assembly George Square – The Crate

Tickets and Info: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/chokeslam

Company Website: https://www.wwwc.uk/chokeslam

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wwwc_uk

X: https://x.com/wwwc_uk

ENDS

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A word to Tegan Verheul, if she reads this: I felt identified when you talked about your fragility after your divorce. I haven’t even been married, but what I relate to is the feeling. And it happened to me that a ‘situation’ like yours (no spoilers) fixed some of that feeling. Now from here I have two observations. 

First, as you were telling this story, I had to think ‘how on Earth can you not feel beautiful’, and then I remembered that someone told me this once, and as the only result, I was very upset. Somehow, during the show, I felt the validation to that feeling that I often hadn’t received.

Second, it is so unfair that we women are still very often judged and diminished for doing something that just makes us feel good. In your voice, I felt the weight of judgement, which is an uncomfortable place to be, and one that I try to lift from me. Feminist fights started long ago, and there is still so much to fight for.

I wanted to thank you for sharing this bit of your story. One thing I believe in is that only through individual stories can the general narrative slowly shift.