The Underbelly, Edinburgh Fringe (2.55pm, Dairy Room, Bristo Square 3-29 August 22, no show 15 August)
Edinburgh Fringe one woman comedy tells how a wide-eyed American survives a move to Tel Aviv- by learning to surf!
-Light-hearted and powerful Surfing the Holyland makes its Edinburgh Fringe debut at the Underbelly
“This is the story of the year I spent in colourful, aggressive, neurotic Israel and how I survived. How my husband found God and then I sabotaged his Orthodox Bar Mitzvah. And how amid all of this I learned to surf.”
Erin Hunter, originally from Los Angeles, was inspired to write her musical tale Surfing the Holyland after her own experiences of living in Tel Aviv, Israel, where she too became a surfer and converted to Judaism for love. But this isn’t Erin’s story. This is a show about a naïve American, Heather, who moves across the world for her husband’s job to the exotic and frenetic Holyland. There husband Zach finds ‘The Wailing Wall’ and becomes Orthodox whilst Heather tests her limits surfing a wall of water.
This hilarious, moving and sometimes irreverent tale tracks Heather as she emerges from a monotonous life and troubled marriage to enlightenment and purpose through a newly found love of surfing. Pushing herself physically and emotionally to new heights, surfing helps Heather cope with the Israeli ‘balagan’ (a mess, chaotic scene) but nearly causes her to create a balagan of her own.
Erin performs 12 colourful characters at breakneck speed and includes four comedy ukulele numbers and one woman searching for her inner ‘chutzpah’ (extreme self-confidence) on a surfboard.
Surfing the Holyland is a classic ‘fish-out-of-water’ story which is underpinned by universal themes. It explores the immigrant experience, female empowerment and relationships through comedy, theatre and music told uniquely through a series of surf lessons. Ultimately it’s a story of hope. Surfing the Holyland speaks to a wide range of communities including all religions and none right through to watersports lovers, comedy connoiseurs and ukulele enthusiasts!
Surfing the Holyland has garnered rave reviews from Los Angeles and Tel Aviv audiences and has wowed audiences at its preview showings in Camden and at the Brighton Fringe.
For a taste of what to expect visit https://youtu.be/fPC3SKQPiY4
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
