This August, as Los Angeles celebrities (and their mortal Angeleno counterparts) continue to dig through the smouldering insurance documents of their fire-ravaged lives, Erin Hunter and Slackline Productions present the searing, Burn Baby Burn: LA Inferno, at the Etcetera theatre.
Burn Baby Burn: LA Inferno is a stripped-back, sharp-witted mix of storytelling, satire, and songs, exploring the human cost of climate change and the humans fanning the flames. Asking questions that nobody wants to answer like: why was LA’s biggest reservoir empty? What the hell is a ‘firenado’? And just how quickly will you be cancelled for posting a ‘fire selfie’?
Burn Baby Burn: LA Inferno is a stripped-back, sharp-witted mix of storytelling, satire, and songs, exploring the human cost of climate change and the humans fanning the flames. Asking questions that nobody wants to answer like: why was LA’s biggest reservoir empty? What the hell is a ‘firenado’? And just how quickly will you be cancelled for posting a ‘fire selfie’?
Writer-performer Erin Hunter explains more about the show ahead of the premiere.
What can you tell me in your words about your show? Burn Baby Burn: LA Inferno is my second solo show. Based on a true story, it's a tragicomedy about a pair of old Angelenos who lose their home in the LA fires while their anxious daughter- 6000 miles away in London - tries to help them navigate a climate catastrophe, crippling grief and admin hell - all while trying not to unravel herself. It’s about the human cost of climate change and the humans fanning the flames. It features 6 ukulele numbers (one called 'We're Gonna Sue Your Ass', one about Steve Guttenberg and yes a satire of Disco Inferno) There's a quirky, colourful cast of characters - a Hollywood celeb of course, an influencer, a firefighter, an insurance pencil pusher, a sleazy property developer and even a Trump cameo.
Where did the inspiration for this piece come from? In January my parents' lost their home and a lifetime of belongings in the LA wildfires and I felt compelled to make a show about it and share our experiences. Climate change events like this seem far away and impossible but not for long - it felt an important cautionary tale to tell!
How have you approached developing the show? As it's based on lived, personal experience, I spent a long time writing down everything we were experiencing in real time - from the firestorm itself to the evacuation to the paperwork purgatory that followed. I did a deep dive researching the causes of the fire, climate change, the politicians, the insurance crisis and interviewed folks at home in LA to ground the material. Then came the hard part - with such fecund material I could've created an epic 10 hour saga - but had to whittle it down to only one! Then came the fun part of deciding what would make great songs (i.e. a satirical take on Disco Inferno and another about 80s movie star Steve Guttenberg becoming a hero). And also who would make great supporting characters (a firefighter/surfer dude, a Hollywood star, a devilish real estate developer, Trump even makes a cameo!) And all through this process I've been harrassing my partner-in-crime, (director-producer) Kristin Duffy, with all my creative/neurotic ideas and questions! We are jumping into the rehearsal room imminently!
How would you describe the style of the show? I'd call it a tragicomedy. An eclectic, fast-paced, stripped-back mix of self-deprecating, raw storytelling, satire, songs and character comedy.
Can you describe the show in 3 words? heartbreaking, hilarious, hot
How do you mentally and physically prepare for a run like the Fringe? Well as it's a 60 minute solo show with 10 characters and 6 songs, I need to start memorising that script ASAP! I don't want any deer-in-the-headlight moments on stage when I can't remember what song or character comes next! Stamina is key so exercising every day will help me with that!
What was the first piece of theatre you saw which had a big impact on you? Oooh there've been so many but probably the earliest that comes to mind is Shockheaded Peter which I saw as a uni student in LA but was actually a British production created with Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch of Improbable Theatre and band The Tiger Lillies. It was the most arresting and spectacular, haunting and grotesque thing I'd ever seen. And funny too! Inspired by 19th century German fairytales...and all the children die at the end of each story. They called it a junk opera and it was staged in a highly stylised way that was so vivid and memorable!
What do you hope an audience member takes away from seeing the show? I hope they'll come away having had a cathartic experience - one that both moved them, and made them laugh. I hope they'll come away humming some of the songs and that they'll have a deeper understanding of the various factors that contributed to the LA fires and the complexity of recovery. And I hope that through humour and honesty, it will spark debate and reflection on climate change. And that they'll love it so much they'll recommend it to everyone ;-)
Where and when can people see your show? 6 August 7pm, 9 August 9pm, 10 August 5pm at The Etcetera Theatre at Camden Fringe!
Tickets are available from https://camdenfringe.com/events/burn-baby-burn-la-inferno/
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