Following a successful run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2024, Per-Verse, a very funny, insightful and poetically charged one-woman show by Georgie Wedge, comes to London this spring for a limited run at Riverside Studios. Per-Verse will run from 3rd April to 19th April 2025. Each poetry piece in the show originated as a stand-alone story, about her own true-life experiences, and were performed by Georgie at events across London, before forming the basis of the show.
 |
| Photo by Thomas Sandler |
Ahead of the London run we sat down with Georgie to learn more.
Per-Verse is a riotous slice of modern city dating told through a blend of poetry, storytelling and physical comedy. Whilst navigating a “typical” date night, I immerse the audience in some colourful flashbacks of “ghosts of dating past” as I move through the evening’s phases and locations (the bar, the taxi, the flat). It’s based entirely on my own experiences, with all the sensory stimulation and voices of others that can heighten the stakes of our dating lives.
What inspired you to create this show?
Whilst completing a Writing for Performance Masters, I started writing and performing stand-alone poetry pieces about my dating life at events in London – which themselves originated as tipsy notes on my phone and voice notes to friends. The pieces went down well at these nights and when I started to identify certain themes that linked the poems, I thought why not take it further and develop it into a show with other forms of storytelling. I’ve always loved performing and was yearning for a new creative outlet, so the show became a way to get back into it properly and exorcise some of my stranger-than-fiction dates!
How did you approach the development of this show?
Getting Ilya (Wray; Director) on board was the first step and it was really a collaborative effort. Each poetry piece I already had emphasised a particular one of the five senses, so that provided a framework. Linking the pieces was a challenge at first, and I hadn’t necessarily intended for the show to feel like a play, but we realised that we could pair each poem and its ‘sense’ with a different location and the phases of a date: the bar, the taxi, the flat. That way, it could still feel true to personal experience but give the show much more of a cohesive story arc. I consumed loads of stand-up, cabaret and theatre, which helped with development, and Ilya’s experience in different forms and genres all played a part in finding the different colours.
How do you blend stand up and spoken work in your work?
Honestly, I didn’t realise I was until people always asked me how my stand-up was going after seeing my clips of my comedy poetry. I’m a sucker for a pun and cheeky wordplay within spoken word, so the stand-up aspect I think emerges in the performance style and engaging with the audience. Playing with physicality and pacing helps blend them and it’s also about the confidence to milk as much as you can out of each word.
How do you gauge how much of yourself to put into your work?
Everything in this show is completely from personal experience, so I’ve thrown my whole self into it rather than creating a separate “character”. It is an exaggerated version of me of course, but the show was always about my specific dates and the layered identities I had within dating. I think my next piece of work will be something entirely different though, as I’m a bit sick of myself at this point!
 |
| Photo by Thomas Sandler |
Having enjoyed success with the show in Edinburgh, do you approach the forthcoming run of the show any differently?
Well, the show has been tweaked a fair bit since Edinburgh, with some new material and a change to the structure. In that sense, I’ll be discovering new things in the London run – which is daunting yet exciting. That being said, even doing the same show every night in Edinburgh for a month could still take you by surprise so I will definitely be going out with the same ‘anything can happen, just go for it’ spirit.
Do you ever reach the point with a show where it feels ‘complete’ or are you always looking at tweaks?
Per-Verse always has the possibility to evolve and definitely has a framework where I can experiment with new things continually – especially as I’m still actively dating, so I never know what story I could stumble into next! As this is my debut show where I’m writer and performer, it’s hard not to be too self-critical and always look for improvements, but I think you need to strike a balance otherwise it would be impossible to move onto the next project. Time will tell!
When did you know performing and writing was for you?
I had the acting bug from a really young age, I can’t pinpoint exactly when, but it was just always something I was involved in where I could. The writing side came later. In a previous job as a Corporate Comms Manager, I wrote a lot of articles,and I thought I’d put down ideas of my own. It was then a bit of a classic Covid thing of then finding the time to consider it more seriously, which led me to my Writing Masters and it went from there.
What was the first piece of theatre that inspired you?
I think some of the classic stuff I read and saw whilst at school was a bit of a launchpad and I particularly liked quite psychological, domestic things – like A Doll’s House, A Streetcar Named Desire and Shakespeare plays. Since then,I’ve been drawn to lots of variety and experimental things, so it’s hard to narrow down a favourite.
What gives you inspiration?
The drama of the everyday! I think it can strike at any point but my friends and family, are a constant stream. I watch a lot of film and TV, and dark comedy dramas are something I’m particular drawn to, but also books, articles, an overheard conversation on the tube, interesting spaces, food, other artists I admire – too many to mention.
 |
| Photo by Thomas Sandler |
That it’s not the kind of dating themed show they’d expect. It’s a chance to be a fly on the wall of a date like no other, whilst also feeling like you’re gossiping with your friend the whole way through. Hopefully they take comfort in some of the relatable moments and embrace the sport that is flirting (and being the best, cringe you). I think there’s interesting things to take away on identity and sexual politics but most importantly, I just want them to have a really fun time on a date with me! And then tell all their friends and family how great I am and that they should date me too…
Where can people see the show?
It’s a residency show at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith from April 3rd – 19th. There are six performances over 3 weeks on Thursday evenings and Saturday matinees. See you there!
Per-Verse is at the Riverside Studios in London from 3rd- 19thApril 2025. For more information and to book tickets, click here: https://riversidestudios.co.uk/see-and-do/per-verse-160739/
Where can people see the show?
It’s a residency show at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith from April 3rd – 19th. There are six performances over 3 weeks on Thursday evenings and Saturday matinees. See you there!
Per-Verse is at the Riverside Studios in London from 3rd- 19thApril 2025. For more information and to book tickets, click here: https://riversidestudios.co.uk/see-and-do/per-verse-160739/
Post a Comment