★★★★
On the same day the Edinburgh Fringe had to endure Liz Truss being interviewed with the insight and rigour of a toddler pushing blocks into a shape sorter, across town Darren McGarvey’s laser-focused talk on the theme of trauma and oversharing was starting.
His introduction, was hilarious and poignant, explaining that the shows are part of a multimedia project that will end up as a book. His trigger warning for working-class people ‘there’s pulp in the orange juice’, should win joke of the fringe, although I think we know why it never has.* Amongst the gags, there was an informed thesis around how we have become over-saturated by bite-sized online self-help in lieu of any substantial therapy.
McGarvey introduces Pauline Brown, a sex and relationship therapist. With the first question, McGarvey causes the audience to fall into a hushed silence, asking if ‘Someone as privileged as Huw Edwards is a paedophile, or his crimes were a consequence of unchecked power.’ Brown’s responses are considered and informed by a career counselling sex addicts and those with insecure attachments.
McGarvey uses his own experience as a basis for the questions, talking about his own insecure attachment and how that affects his relationships. Brown offers a non-judgemental explanation of how we behave and how we are often not aware why. McGarvey allows for tonal shifts, where the serious elements are always respected, but sometimes underlined with ‘what the fuck?’ jokes.
Taylor’s message is that sex, when good, is the most mindful thing you can do, the most present you can be. Trauma robs us of that, but we can change. McGarvey looks on with incredulity, but that’s common for those, like us, with insecure attachment.
Darren McGarvey: Trauma Industrial Complex – Trauma and Oversharing in the Age of Lived Experience is on with a variety of guests at The Stand 3 till August 10th
*Posh-o’s run the fringe.
