Kerry Ipema and KK Apple present the UK premiere of Six Chick Flicks...Or A Legally Blonde Pretty Woman Dirty Danced on the Beaches While Writing a Notebook on the Titanic the Edinburgh Fringe following performances in North America, including off-Broadway. The show is co-written by Kerry Ipema and TK Dawe, who together also wrote 60 Minute Sex And The City which was seen at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2018.
It's a wild mix of reactions, from nostalgia to knowing shrieks
Let's cover some basics to begin with. Where are you each from, where did you train (if at all) and in what, where have you lived and how did you meet up?
Kerry: We refer to our meeting as a meet-cute. We actually met in a good ol’ fashioned improv practice group.
KK: Specifically, that was while training at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City! I think we both looked at each other and said, "Hmmm, this seems like someone to be friends with." I was diving deeper into the NYC comedy scene with sketch comedy and ended up as a UCB Theatre house team member. Kerry was doing lots of theater but we kept crossing paths and admiring each other’s work. Big shout out to Zip Zap Zop for bringing us together.
Kerry: Lots and lots of ‘yes, and-ing.’ I’m originally from Chicago, and I went to school at Indiana University for musical theatre. I’ve lived in New York for over 10 years.
KK: I live in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in Minnesota, so am also a Midwestern corn freak at heart!
What’s your background in terms of work and getting into your current business?
KK: I was a high school theater kid who loved to dance and discovered sketch comedy in college. I was lucky to find super-supportive comedy friends, and our goal was always to make each other laugh, and I think that’s what I’m always chasing! The fun thing about the NYC comedy scene is that everyone is a multi-hyphenate making their own work, so writing and performing has always been connected for me. Sketch comedy videos are also what got me into making film, which is another fun cross-section of communities to tap into.
KERRY: I come from a musical theatre background, and when I first discovered improv comedy, it was so freeing to be able to create my own work without having to wait for someone else to say yes to me. Writing for myself came after that and the benefit was the same - it feels great as an actor to have autonomy over when I get to perform.
Six Chick Flicks is described as 'a hysterical parody of chick flicks' - how do audiences react?
Kerry: Our show is about having FUN and it feels so good to share that collective joy. We've had friends, bachelorette parties, birthday parties, mother/daughter pairs, and more come together to laugh at the show across North America.
KK: The films we parody are such feel-good watches for people, so it's a wild mix of reactions, from nostalgia to knowing shrieks. I kind of love the husbands that approach us after the show and say their wife DRAGGED them there, but they actually laughed the loudest.
Kerry: We do have a bit of a warning. Audiences have complained about the risk of peeing their pants during our show...is this common in the UK??
Fairly normal at the Fringe, I would say! Moving on, parody is a niche art form. What attracted you to it, how do you construct it and what’s its appeal for audiences?
Kerry: My entry into the parody world was TJ Dawe, who co-created One Man Lord of the Rings and One Man Star Wars. He and I were doing a show called PostSecret, and he asked if I wanted to write and perform a One Woman Sex and the City Parody, and I said yes. The rest is history. What I love about parody in theatre is it’s a gateway show for a lot of people. Audiences come to our show recognising the name in the title, but once they’re there, they realise theatre is not scary, and hopefully it makes them want to come back for more.
Kerry: We say this show is a little Trojan Horse-y. People come in ready for comfort watches, and we get to thread through pop culture commentary and weird lil jokes as a treat.
You've performed at festivals in Canada and Off Broadway. Do people in those places have a different response to your shows? Is there a Canada/USA divide?
Kerry: We chose the movies we parody super carefully, because we wanted to parody films that are in the zeitgeist. One of the criteria for the movies we chose was: does it play often on cable? We want those movies that you put on in the background and know them so intimately, that you don’t even need to watch them to know what’s happening.
Kerry: We haven’t seen a specific divide between USA/Canada, but there’s definitely a fun range of responses in each show of what movies hit for people. Sometimes it’s connected to age — younger generations are hearing about Beaches for the first time, and older audiences are like “We gotta watch Legally Blonde!”
In what ways do you think Edinburgh Fringe will be different?
Kerry: This is the first time we've brought the show outside of North America, so we're very excited to see which moments and characters the audiences will connect with.
Kerry: Also, Edinburgh Fringe is the biggest fringe festival in the world, so we know it’s going to take a lot of hustling. Expect to see us flyering to get butts on seats. But once we get to perform the show, that’s the gift. And we can finally get the answers to some burning questions. Does Edinburgh think there was enough room on the door for Jack?
KK: Should Baby have just stayed in that dang corner??
Has anyone involved in any of the films seen your show?
Kerry: No confirmed sightings, but who knows? Maybe James Cameron had some free time after Avatar, and he snuck into our off-Broadway run without telling us.
KK: Anyone have Kate Winslet's number or Jennifer Coolidge's email? We can get them discount tickets.
Kerry did 60 Minute Sex And The City in 2018. Do you have plans to parody any other films or series?
Kerry: We've been talking about writing a sequel to Six Chick Flicks. We're actually taking suggestions...maybe a parody of John Hughes’ movies?
KK: Or a mashup of your fave coming-of-age films like Bring it On and 10 Things I Hate About You?
Kerry: Oooo, She’s All That?
KK: Nora Ephron films? Nancy Meyers classics?
Kerry: We poke fun at these movies and series because we ADORE them, so it's all done with love.
