An Interview with Caroline Horton, writer and performer of You're Not Like The Other Girls Chrissy

Having received Winner of The Stage Awards Best Solo Performer 2010 for You're Not Like The Other Girls Chrissy, and toured the show for nigh on two years, we are excessively excited to have it come to Bristol Old Vic. As a writer and performer Caroline begins with idiosyncratic, personal stories from which something emerges that is universally moving and tragically comic. We caught up with her to ask her about the show and her own travels with it. 

Have you been to Bristol Old Vic before?
I have not, although I have directed a show for Teasel Theatre which was there earlier in the year (Grisly Tales from Tumblewater), so I'm really looking forward to performing at Bristol Old Vic for the first time.

What drives you to make the shows you make?
I think just finding a story I want to tell drives me to create a show. However, I have only made two shows so far - 'You're Not Like The Other Girls Chrissy' and 'Mess' - so I don't know what might come next. 

Can you tell us about You’re Not Like The Other Girls, Chrissy?
It's a show I made in 2010 inspired by my wonderful French grandmother's wartime love story. It's a funny, moving one woman show about a beautiful eccentric.

Is this currently its last outing or will it back?
I keep saying that 'Chrissy' is on its last outing and it's still touring! So maybe I'll just say that I don't know and that I'd love to keep performing the show when the opportunity arises.

You’ve taken this show all over the country, what has it been like touring and what was the oddest reaction you’ve ever had?
I've seen so many wonderful places and met so many interesting people - I really enjoy taking it to different audiences, it keeps the show so fresh for me. It's also been to Adelaide and Amsterdam which was pretty exciting. The oddest reaction was probably when I performed it in my grandmother's nursing home in October 2010 and another resident aged 94 said that she was amazed that all of a sudden she'd been able to understand French - I perform in English with a French accent!

You’ll be back next season with ‘Mess’ (new programme spoiler alert!), what can you tell us about it?
'Mess' is a show about anorexia - Josephine and Boris put on a show about Josephine's experience of the illness and her recovery. They go on a journey from hope to despair and bafflement as they struggle to tell their story. It's funny, moving and is performed to a live score. It's been a wonderful show to work on with an incredible team - we just premiered it in Edinburgh where it won Best Ensemble at The Stage Awards and I'm really thrilled to be touring it in 2013.

Anything else?
There's more info on my website www.carolinehorton.net; on Facebook 'You're Not Like The Other Girls Chrissy' and 'Mess Theatre'; and on Twitter @carolineplays. See you soon!

You're Not Like The Other Girls Chrissy is on in the studio Oct 23-27. Visit www.bristololdvic.org.uk or call the box office on 0117 987 7877 to book. Caroline's new show, Mess, will be on in the studio next season and will be available to book very soon. Call box office for further details.