Kathryn Haywood tells us about Magic and Sex
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Kathryn Haywood returns after the sell-out, five-star run of her Offie-nominated debut show Yoga & Sex… . For Women (Over 40). In her brand new show, Magic & Sex, Kath has decided to delve into the art of illusion and become a fully-fledged magician. She will astound with her command of a deck of cards, she will baffle with her feats of mentalism, she will confuse with what she keeps under her hat. She can read your mind before you can say Hey Presto, and produce the two of clubs before you can say Abra-Kath-Dabra!
Trust me, you’ve never seen magic done quite like this and chances are you never will again. Come and see the hottest new conjuror on the block and leave with your head spinning and your stomach churning. But in a good way…probably could have worded that better.
What can audiences expect from the show?
From the creators of Yoga & Sex….For Women (Over 40). Kath’s back she’s become a fully-fledged magician! She’ll astound with her deck of cards, baffle with her mentalism and produce the two of clubs before you can say Abra-Kath-Dabra!
Is Camden Fringe going to be the show’s first time on stage, or have you already performed elsewhere?
Camden Fringe will be the final leg of the show’s debut mini-tour. I’m starting out with WIP shows at Brighton Fringe and The Rik Mayall Comedy Festival and then heading to Greater Manchester Fringe, Birmingham, Bristol and Newcastle Fringe before heading to Camden Fringe. At the time of writing, the first show in Brighton is four weeks away and rehearsals are in full swing!
What was your inspiration behind the show?
Co-creator, Dan Mersh and I wanted to see the character we’d created for YOGA & SEX…for women (over 40) try something new. We both love magic and as there aren’t enough female magicians out there we thought this would be a good fit.Â
Is this version how you originally envisioned it or has it changed drastically since you first put pen to paper?
It’s easy to assume that because it’s a comedy and the character is kind of goofy that she’s going to be bad at magic. But to quote YOGA & SEX…, “You mustn’t assume because it makes an ass out of ume!” Maybe this time, she’s found something that she’s actually quite good at!
What brought you all together?
Tinder
What has been the biggest challenge in realising the vision for the show?
Being the writer, producer and performer all at once has its benefits. I’m fully aware that whatever I write into the show is going to have to be taken on the train and physically carried into the venue by me or Dan. If it doesn’t fit into my bag, it’s not in the show!
How important is audience interaction to you?
Audience interaction is vital. The fourth wall is broken pretty early on and I talk to the audience a lot – so some of the show can’t be scripted as I don’t know what they’re going to say back to me. And of course, for the magic bits I need them to “pick a card, any card” and shout out suggestions.
If you had to describe your show as a meal what would it be?
A burger. You think you know what you’re going to get but when you bite into it there’s a surprising filling, something a bit spicy you weren’t expecting. Then it all gets a bit messy and you wish you’d used a knife and fork but then the last bite is so satisfying that you want to eat the whole thing with your hands again.
If your show had a soundtrack, what songs would definitely be on it?
It does! And all the music is written and performed by me and Dan.
What’s the weirdest or most unconventional prop used in your show, and how did it come to be part of the production?
Fight Club DVD, but we all know the rules…
What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received during your career, and how has it influenced your work on this show?
Just bloody do it!
Magic & Sex will play at Rosemary Branch Theatre from Monday 4 to Wednesday 6 August at 7pm each evening.
You can find details of other July dates here.
