Jake Mace
Content Warning: Discussion of abusive relationships.
Claudia Shnier is the writer, director, and performer of upcoming EdFringe new writing piece Split Ends, which explores control, love and the addiction to people who hurt us, through a physical theatre, puppet, and multimedia journey that sees Claudia fall in love with a hairy vacuum cleaner. With so much to discuss in this show’s concept, we caught up with Claudia for a pixelated pint to find out more about what inspired the show.
You can catch Split Ends from 30th July to August 17th from 12:30 (60mins) at Below at Pleasance Courtyard. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Jake: Hi Claudia! Split Ends sees you falling in love with a hairy vacuum – tell us about what inspired the show.
Claudia: Well I have always been obsessed with cutting my split ends ever since I was a teenager and it got so bad that it gets quite debilitating. I would cut my hair while I was driving, till early hours in the morning and people started hiding scissors from me because I was pretty out of control when I was near them. Then last year I fell in love with the hairiest man I had ever met, which evolved into a psychologically abusive relationship. I found that I had no control around when he entered my life and when he left. When he would leave me, I kept finding his malted body hairs everywhere. I wouldn’t see him for months and I would continue to find his hairs in my apartment. I then became obsessed with removing his hairs and looking for them and then vacuuming them up, because it gave me a sense of power. But this activity, like my hair cutting, evolved into another compulsion that started controlling me. I thought this was an incredible metaphor for psychological abusive relationships and the lack of autonomy I felt in the relationship. So during this relationship I started writing snippets of what I was experiencing and then the show developed.
Jake: The piece is an exploration of control, love and the addiction to people who hurt us using physical theatre, puppetry and multimedia – tell us about your process for creating the show.
Claudia: It started at drama school last year where we were asked to create a 10 minute solo show. The teacher asked us to bring in random props to explore with and I subconsciously brought in objects relating to hair removal (my vacuum, scissors and tweezers). I really loved the short piece I created and wanted to develop it into a full show. So at the beginning of this year I had a rough idea of the whole show but my creative process always starts with music. So I created some tracks first, then wrote the script to fit in with the sound. After creating a few tracks it became quite chicken and eggy, where I start adjusting sound to fit into text and visa versa.
I also wanted to make a point to myself, of being the sole driver behind this whole show. So I didn’t want to hire anyone to help me and wanted this show to come from my voice that disappeared for such a long time. So once I had the script I would rehearse and film my rehearsals to watch back and give myself notes. I had some friends watch a couple of rehearsals to give feedback which was incredibly helpful. However, I would rehearse in the same building as my ex, who was rehearsing for a musical at the time. I luckily only ever heard him and never bumped into him. But while I was rehearsing, the band for his musical was so loud I sometimes couldn’t hear my own voice. And I would be mid-rehearsals when I would hear him belting from the room upstairs. It made it very difficult but I pulled through!
Jake: Tell us about what the audience can expect coming into the show, and what they might not expect about the show.
Claudia: I think audiences can expect controlled chaos, intense energy, and visceral images underscored by fun techno sounds. People describe it as genre defying because there are moments of levity amongst quite heavy themes, but then there’s puppets and musical tracks that make you think you’re at a rave? An audience member described the performance as a very skilful punch in the guts. But so many people approached me after the show telling me how seen they felt. I have a very distinct style of performance, so don’t expect traditional storytelling or direct address to audience the whole time. I like to describe the piece as a ‘Sarah Kane rave’.
Jake: What are you hoping the audience might take away from the experience, if anything?
Claudia: A reviewer wrote that this piece was so important because it educated audiences on the damage left behind, which is exactly what I wanted. I also hope to communicate why it’s not as easy as just leaving a relationship; it’s like trying to quit smoking, it’s not easy, you can’t just stop. But at the same time, I want to empower people in challenging this belief and understanding that maybe things in our lives that seem very out of our control are actually not. I know that what I said is contradictory, but it is something I am still grappling with. I am still addicted to cutting my hair, I still get triggered by this man, it wasn’t as easy as just breaking up and moving on, it’s a process. I think there’s a lot of nuance and complexities around the nexus of love and control that people who luckily never experienced those difficulties can’t quite comprehend. I think my piece gives light to those complexities, validates this experience and educates those who don’t know what coercive control feels like.
Jake: With Edinburgh Fringe 2025 just around the corner, what are you most excited for?
Claudia: I have never been before but apparently I am in for the ride of my life. I am excited to just be surrounded by arts, and have so much access to different art forms at any time of the day. I am keen for back to back to back to back shows and meeting artists. I don’t quite know what to expect but I am expecting absolute chaos and I’m here for it.
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?
Claudia: It’s a cocktail with around 5 standard drinks in the one drink. We’re talking vodka, gin, absinthe, and limoncello for a sour kick. Shmushed raspberries because they are so pretty and delicious but shmush them to destroy their aesthetic but enhance the flavour. Then there’ll be a dash of strawberry milk because why? But just go with it. Soda water to keep the calories down and prosecco to keep the celebrations UP. Topped with one of those dry ice bubbles that pop when you touch it because that’s fun.
A reminder, you can catch Split Ends from 30th July to August 17th from 12:30 (60mins) at Below at Pleasance Courtyard. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
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