‘MESShead’ – one woman show || Kirby Lunn

The Fame Reporter interviewed incredible global theatre performer Kirby Lunn. Kirby is currently starring in her own – one woman show – ‘MESShead‘ at The Butterfly Club in Melbourne from 23-24 June for the Australian debut of her new dark comedy that premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

YES! YOU DIDN’T ASK FOR IT AND HERE IT IS ANYWAY, ANOTHER MILLENNIAL ONE WOMAN SHOW?! You. Are. Welcome.

MESShead is a new dark comedy, set in New York City, that explores the world of an emotionally stunted woman, Katherine, on a mission to be the most special person in every room.

Trying to balance the glamorous life she lives in her mind with the one she’s actually living, is driving her a little, well, mad. It’s not until she meets her new Dr, does she even realise how how much damage you can do, living inside your head.

We sat down with global creative Kirby Lunn about her new solo show – MESShead, what it is like taking the show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, encouraging people to create their own original work and more.

Welcome to The Fame Reporter, what was it that sparked your interest in performing initially?
I remember singing the Scooby Doo theme song in the primary school choir and thinking it was the MOMENT.

I’ve had a love of music since a very young age and when I found out I could combine story telling and music-making through musical theatre, I was sold.

What is your one-woman show, ‘Messhead’ about and what made you want to take the show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival?
The show is about a grown up child star who is still living under the delusion that she is famous when in reality…not so much. I’m taking this to Edinburgh because I want as many people as possible to see it.

I wrote this show as a gift to the creatives of the world.

I wanted to write something silly and joyful. A show that creatives can clearly see their own stories in.

Life’s too short to NOT take my show to Edinburgh Fringe.

What did you love about your experience performing in musical theatre in Australia with Hairspray versus touring the USA with Kinky Boots?
The thing I loved about touring in the USA was the vast amount of theatres there. We went to so many towns and played at their prestigious venues. We would be at some older, seemingly not very special theatres and you see Mae West used to perform there.

You feel connected to the industry and your heroes in a more immediate way.

Which 3 performers, dead or alive, would you love to have a dinner party with?
Okay, okay, okay. Gene Wilder, Vivien Leigh and Robin Williams. That question nearly broke my brain.

Performing in and learning in London and New York, what have those experiences taught you when creating your own work and bringing it home to Australia?
That you have to do things before you feel ready. If you’re waiting on your writing or your performance to feel perfect, you’re gonna be waiting forever.

The work ethic of people in New York is astounding, it made me want to try and be the hardest working person in every room.

It was also really comforting seeing so much new, exciting work and experiencing previews and not everything land or actors call line.

The show goes on, nobody cares and Laurie Metcalfe is still the best actor I’ve ever seen and it made me love her more. You can have your ‘worst nightmare’ as an actor happen and it actually doesn’t matter at all. Like, at all. We all gotta chill.

What advice, if any, would you give to performers or creatives in terms of being empowered to create their own works and getting their personal stories out there?
No one but you cares if your first draft sucks. Also, your first draft is gonna suck.

PLEASE BE BRAVE and weird. Just make art. In any medium you can. Continue to fail, keep failing upwards. We need new different voices, yeah sure it maybe a story we’ve heard before but we’ve never heard you tell it!

Try to take criticism of your work with a grain of salt too. For the comedy show space I’m currently in, I try to only take on advice or criticism from people who have been brave enough to do the same thing. It’s a very different experience from the inside.

Who or what inspires you?
Anyone who is spectacularly themselves. Wow, is it hard to be yourself, so openly sometimes. I am forever inspired by Robin Williams, he is the ultimate. The main gang includes Steve Martin, Phoebe Waller Bridge, Cole Escola, Dave Burd, Emerald Fennell, David Bowie, Prince, Bo Burnham and my Grandma.

What can audiences expect from your brand-new cabaret show?
Expect to cringe but also feel very seen by this character. There’s a whole club song about disappointing my Mum, what is more universal then upsetting your Mum with your terrible life choices?