Sunday 16 December 2012

Playwright Profile: Lindsay Burns


For Alberta Theatre Projects: Heartbreaker, For Love and Money, Moliere, Zadie's Shoes, How I Learned to Drive, Popcorn, The Ugly Man, Skygeezers, Our Country’s Good. Elsewhere: Lindsay is most known for her witty and insightful one-woman shows, Dough: The Politics of Martha StewartThe Vajayjay Monologues and Pack of Lies which have toured to New York, Winnipeg and Edmonton.  Lindsay first took part in the Playrites festival in 1992 and has been an enthusiastic supporter of it ever since. She is a passionate Calgarian who lives with, and loves deeply, Grant and Jasper.


1) What is your writing process? Do you start writing right away? Outline? Research?
I avoid writing at all costs. Too much work, too much heartache is expended creating some flawed work. However when backed into a corner and having no other option I will begin by writing monologues and gathering information.

2) Where do you write? 
I like to save writing for when I have a whole day off with no appointments, errands or obligations. Luckily I never have this day so I never have to write.

3) What do you need to have with you when you write? 
A gun to my head.

4) What is the last great play you saw? What made it great?
Enron at Theatre Calgary. This was an economic crime told in a fairytale fashion using sharp knives and explosive images.

5) Mac or PC? 
Mac

6) Who are your mentors? 
Phyllis Diller

7) Do you have writing rituals? 
Yes avoiding it, because it’s hard.

8)Best advice for when you hit a wall? 
Stay stuck because the television isn’t going to watch itself.

9) Best piece of grammar or style advice? 
I like the power of three’s. Three examples, three images, a joke delivered three different times.

10) If you were to write a play about your own life, what would the opening line be?
 ‘Oh what new fresh hell is this?'