February 7, 2025 Beyond the Curtain
Rebekka “Bex” Turner - Bexual Healing Interview
UK-based Comedian Rebekka “Bex” Turner is debuting her new character comedy show, Bexual Healing at comedy festivals around the UK. The hour-long comedy special is a fictional retrospective of neurodivergent love stories through the decades, featuring socially awkward sex symbol, Maybe West, as narrator, recounting her dalliances with equally inept characters and her nasty manager. Rebekka uses character acting to bring surreal (and yet, relatable) characters to life – all struggling to find worth and love while navigating through the barriers that come with being neurodivergent. Ahead of a performance at the Leicester Comedy Festival we caught up with Rebekka to learn more.What can you tell me about your show?It’s a chaotic, witty and clever 50 mins of character comedy featuring four 20th century women, all of whom are looking for love and acceptance in various challenging situations. All the creations I play also inhabit a personal neurodivergent trait I have had trouble with (past or present). What inspired you to write this show?I feel that after a tricky comedy slump in 2022 I felt like I needed a break from stand-up. I wanted to combine all the comedy skills I’d learnt and then challenge myself to take on a character only comedy show that also tied in some very personal themes as compared to previous solo shows in 2018 and 2019. What is your writing and development like when you’re planning a show?After ‘Bex’s Chainsaw Moussaka’ I gathered a few of the characters I had in that show and went from there. In the early planning stages I just tried to focus on developing the lore of each character following the 5 w’s (who, what, where, why, when and finally how? I also knew I wanted to create a sort of ‘historical timeline of awkwardness'. After a few tough discussions with myself and how difficult I was finding it to ‘produce’ a show on my own, I went with a selection of trusted directors and dramaturg’s (Erin Enfys and Tanika Lay-Meachen) to work through and create a show that had comedy and pathos at its core whilst being respectful in my storytelling. How did you approach making the central figure in the show a character rather than just yourself?I felt that Maybe West as a central figure/narrator flowed with the premise of the show more and hosting other acts worked well because her job in this situation is that of a lounge/club performer and sex symbol…be it a wildly inappropriate one. How do you bring in themes such as neurodiversity into the world of comedy?As a comedian I feel that we are in many ways (similarly to old school jesters) given a platform which allows us to hold a mirror up to the audience and their struggles. As a neurodiverse person myself, 2024 was quite tough as I re-evaluated all my little quirks and had started on the path of getting assessed. I feel that as my confidence has grown I've felt more and more comfortable to reveal bits of my personality. Why do you think this show is perfect for a 2025 audience?I feel that it’ll appeal to a 2025 crowd as it looks at the sometimes overlooked experiences of women with autism and just how much we find creating lasting connections difficult. E.g. I have a WWII housewife who’s unrequited love leads to disaster, a theme park princess who’s many demons involve deep rooted mummy issues and a deep sorrow for her sister, an over sharing sex symbol who was completely overlooked because of her gender and a silent film star who can’t say boo to a ghost and who let’s people walk over her. Where did your comedy career begin?In 2010 I did a Laughing Horse weekend comedy course (I love how that rhymes!). I was taught stand-up basics. Then at Uni I started to dabble in it a bit more. Finally in 2013 after I graduated I decided to take comedy more seriously and fully engross myself in the comedy landscape of the local comedy scene in Brighton. Some of my earliest supporters where friendly female comics like Lolie Ware and Katie Field. When did you know that you wanted to be a comedian?I used to be extremely obsessed with sketch shows, stand-up specials etc and so I think being a comedian was inevitable! Hehe! I think as a very lonely, often bullied teenager I was looking for an outlet to be myself without judgement, a place where I could tell the world what I think and who can f*ck off! How do you reflect on your comedy career to date?Tough question. I feel its going okay right now however as a weirder comic, I often feel that my low confidence affects me as some audience get me and then some don't. Positively in the past few years I’ve tried to advocate for myself and do more paid gigs. My new project for Spring 2025 is to create a one character show like Frankie Monroe or Troy Hawke. As with most things it’s hard for me to accept that maybe I can’t do as much as a neurotypical person. I did 6+ previews for Bexual Healing last year and honestly, it wore me out…To be honest, I'm still looking for my magnum opus! Who are your comedy heroes?Kristen Schaal, Jo Neary, Cariad Lloyd, Cardinal Burns and The Fast Show. What gives you inspiration?A major one at the moment is The League of Gentlemen as it’s shaped a lot of the characters in Bexual Healing. Where can audiences see the show?18th February, Leicester Comedy Festival. King Richard III Pub (Leicester), 19.00. £8/PWYW. More details via comedy-festival.co.uk. Click Here For Article