Joann Condon’s one-woman show Little Boxes is due to open at the Adelaide Fringe next Tuesday. The piece explores Condon’s life through unpacking a series of boxes on stage over an hour. We caught up with Joann for a pixelated pint to discuss putting your personal story on stage and everything that goes along with it. Join us here in the Binge Fringe Digital Pub to dive into the show.

You can catch Little Boxes from March 4th to March 10th at the Lark @ Gluttony – Rymill Park from March 4th to March 10th at 7:20pm (60 mins). Tickets are available through the Adelaide Fringe Online Box Office.

Jake: Hi Joann, your upcoming Adelaide Fringe show explores a lifetime’s worth of ‘boxes’. Tell us what you mean by that, and what you’ve found in unpacking them.

Joann: We all make assumptions about people when we meet them, based on their looks, age, accent the list is endless. We are put into ‘boxes’ but, we are all so much more and have loads more to offer than the boxes people put us in. By writing and performing this show I realised how many boxes I have allowed myself to be put in over the years and sadly the boxes I have just stayed in!

The idea of the show came from a conversation I had with my daughter when she was 3 and stated she wanted to be a boy and not wear girl’s clothes. I so wanted to make sure her path was clear, and she felt safe and free to be whoever she wanted to be. I knew I couldn’t support her fully until I had a clear out of all the boxes I was in!

Jake: Give us a little idea of what the audience can expect from the hour long performance, and how you feel about performing something so personal.

Joann: The audience can expect to laugh and cry and hopefully do both at the same time! Also to feel like they are with a friend having a chat and laugh over a beer, I want them to feel comfortable, relax and enjoy the story telling and to hopefully relate to some of the situations I talk about.

It is a very personal show and I can get ‘caught ‘emotionally at the oddest places in the show. But I love sharing my experiences with the audience.

Jake: What are you hoping the audience might take away from the experience, if anything?

Joann: I hope that the show will stay with the audience and be a talking point during the rest of their evening! Also, for them to think about what assumptions they make about people, and to look at their own boxes and want to get out of them!

Hopefully they will also recommend the show to all their friends!

Jake: Now we’re in the throes of Adelaide Fringe, what are you most excited for?

Joann: I am so looking forward bringing the show to a new audience and really looking forward to the buzz of the festival and being part of that and it’s a great opportunity to see loads of great shows.

Also, the experience of being in Adelaide as it’s my first time in Australia. Leonie Simmons my co-writer and producer comes from Adelaide so it’s great for her to bring the show to her hometown.

Jake: Given the themes of Binge Fringe, if your show was a beverage of any kind (alcoholic, non-alcoholic – be as creative as you like!), what would it be and why?

Joann: A cup of tea! It’s the answer to everything; you’re sad put the kettle on, something bad happens, put the kettle on, something good happens, put the kettle on. After a good cry! Always put the kettle on!  It’s a welcome drink, a sharing drink over a gossip, a laugh. I drink a lot of tea throughout the show which is fab!

You can catch Little Boxes from March 4th to March 10th at the Lark @ Gluttony – Rymill Park from March 4th to March 10th at 7:20pm (60 mins). Tickets are available through the Adelaide Fringe Online Box Office.