INTERVIEW: A Digital Pint with… Zoe Wohlfeld, on Loss, Dogs, and the Loss of Dogs

Zoe Wohlfeld’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe clowning debut Dog Funeral sees her dressed in Victorian mourning garb and ready to cry on command, aiming to teach you how to properly perform your grief. Described as a funeral for her childhood dog, Zoe is inviting Edinburgh audiences to join the solemn ceremony and pay your respects with the good boys. We caught up with her for a pixelated pint to find out more about what’s inspired the show.

You can catch Zoe Wohlfeld: Dog Funeral at Jelly Belly at Underbelly, Cowgate on August 5th – 30th from 17:25 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.

Shay: Hi Zoe, tell us about the subject of grief in your show and why you have decided to bring this to the stage now?

Zoe: Dog Funeral is a solo clown show about loss, dogs, and the loss of dogs. I wanted to make a show that explores what happens when we grieve, how we may treat others and ourselves, and the existential dread of it all. 

While there is no shortage of brilliant comedy shows about grief (and a surprising number of shows this year about dead dogs!), everyone has a different experience of it. I wanted to make this show to explore what it’s like to be a woman grieving in socially unacceptable ways. The character in this show is essentially the absolute worst and most demented version of myself. She takes her grief out on those around her, but my hope is that there are moments the audience sympathizes with her too! I suppose I’m making this show now because we’re all terribly idiots and it’s 1) fun to poke fun at my own flaws (which I think reflect a common human experience) and 2) we live in a moment where we’re isolated behind our algorithmic devices and it’s so easy to judge others (and ourselves most of all!) in our worst moments. I feel strongly about creating messy, silly, and (perhaps a bit) deranged live performance that speaks to this!  

Shay: Tell us about your process for putting together this hour – what do you do to get yourself motivated and what challenges have you found with this material?

Zoe: The show came from my desire to cry real tears on stage! I’ve always wanted to be able to do this. I’ve convinced myself that only real actors can cry real tears! The reason for these tears became a funeral for my childhood dog. As for the process, the show has been patched together from little bits I’ve tried at gigs and alt comedy open mics. I do rehearse with my director, Jack, but a lot of the most helpful information we’ve gotten in developing this show has come from trying new things out in front of a live audience. I still can’t cry real tears on stage, but I’ve had a lot of fun being a fake actor figuring out how to fake tears. 

Shay: Tell us about your comedy icons – who are they, and how have they influenced your work?

Zoe: I’m really inspired by Lucille Ball, Charles Ludlam, Mel Brooks, Monty Python, Peter Sellers, Madeline Kahn (I know there are a bunch I’m forgetting but these come to mind right now!). I love when things are really absurd and ridiculous and, as an audience member, I’m not totally sure why I’m laughing but I’m laughing really hard! And it really lights my fire to see performers having fun in a way that makes me want to get up there with them (like leaving the circus wanting to become an acrobat!). Something about the stupid and absurd structure of Ludlam’s plays, Mel Brooks and Monty Python films/sketches is so simple and comically satisfying, and the faces, voices and physicality of Lucille Ball, Peter Sellers and Madeline Kahn make me laugh until my face hurts. I want to make people laugh like that!

Shay: Do you have any pre-show rituals?

Zoe: I drink a coke, a lot of water, and pee three times. Right before I go out on stage I have to burp a lot because of all the liquids and bubbles. Sometimes I will still be burping when I go on stage, but it’s all part of the fun!

Shay: With EdFringe now just around the corner, what are you most excited for?

Zoe: I’m looking forward to growing as a performer. I know I’m going to learn so much doing this 25 times in a row and I’m really excited/grateful to get to have this experience. I also can’t wait to see other shows! 

Shay: 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?

Zoe: It would be a large glass of Pinot Grigio because it’s the only thing that will get me through my dog’s funeral. 

A reminder, you can catch Zoe Wohlfeld: Dog Funeral at Jelly Belly at Underbelly, Cowgate on August 5th – 30th from 17:25 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.