My Festival: Michaela Burger

Michaela Burger in The State of Grace | Contributed

There are thousands of shows in Edinburgh this month. Please explain why we should come and see yours.

Because it’s a world premiere and the first time I’ve ever performed the show anywhere in the world. It’s a true story. It’s verbatim, the actual words of Grace Bellavue, who was a high class sex worker, activist and prolific writer who passed away in 2015. There’s comedy, drama, original music, hip hop and heart. The audience get a bit of everything in one show! 

What will we learn from your show that we didn’t know before?

You will learn about the discrimination against a minority group of people and how you can be part of the solution. You’ll learn about the human side of sex workers, and that they’re just normal human beings like everyone else and should be treated that way and given a safe workspace.

Who or what was the biggest inspiration for your show?

The biggest inspiration for my show is Grace Bellavue. Her mother approached me to write a show about her daughter and handed me a pile of her unpublished writing that she had found on her computer after she passed away: hip hop lyrics, monologues, diary entries, daily thoughts. These writings, and any other words that Grace wrote during her life are the inspiration and material for this show.

What’s the best review you’ve ever had, and the worst?

I’ve done so many shows and had so many reviews over the years, I can’t remember the best, but I do know that I’ve had some incredible reviews. The worst I’ve ever gotten is a three star review, which is not bad at all. Sorry, there’s no juicy gossip for this one.

Who or what are you most excited about seeing this year?

Anything House Of Oz. The shows they have bought over this year are incredible and all world-class. I’ve seen most of them but still need to see all of them and I’m very excited about this.

Who do you most like spending time with in Edinburgh?

Myself. With such a vigorous schedule of performing and flyering my favourite time is when I’m alone in my room, in recovery mode.

Tell us something about you that would surprise people.

I was born in the middle of the Australian desert in the opal mining town of Coober Pedy. My father was an opal miner and my mother a tour guide. I grew up living underground in a dugout (a house which is built underground). 

What are the best and worst things that have happened to you at a festival?

The best things that happen to me at the festival are meeting people. The new friendships and the old friendships. The worst thing was being caught in the rain during flyering and arriving at my show, soaked from head to toe and drying my hair on one of those ridiculous hand dryers.

What’s the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night?

I text my husband in Australia to say good morning. Then text my husband in Australia to say goodnight.

Thanks for the interview! We’d like to buy you a drink. Where are we going and What are we drinking? 

Thank you! We are going to get a nice cup of tea please. I’ll give you the task of surprising me with the cutest little Edinburgh cafe.

Michaela Burger's show The State of Grace is at the Assembly Rooms, 7.05pm, until 24 August

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