Edinburgh Fringe 2025
Seeking a Pen Pal for the End of the World
Eddie Jen
Genre: Storytelling, Theatre, Theatrical Storytelling
Venue: Just the Tonic at The Caves
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
“After Trump 1.0’s mob breached the US capitol to destroy democracy on January 6th, 2021, an immigrant drag queen attorney from San Francisco began writing to a retired, White, Republican woman in Bountiful, Utah – his high school English teacher from thirty years ago. What happens when the political discussions stop and the personal begins?”
Review
Eddie Jen greets us early and then takes us on a journey through many topics and anecdotes with verve! A natural storyteller – dressed in elegant drag wearing a black cocktail dress holding a multicoloured sequined bag full of imagination, Jen shares. Jen is relatable, fascinating and becomes a friend by the end of the show. The range of topics varies and moves along through politics and favourite book titles to bubble baths – and everything else in between. However, the mainstay topic that Jen returns to is writing, for this is what Jen loves to do best. These aspects all makes for a fascinating hour of theatrical storytelling comprising well crafted and performed episodic moments writing to someone across America and then hearing responses to Jen’s growing personal commentary and questions!
The pandemic was a time to reflect and we all struggled to find different ways to spend our time. Coupled with Trump’s arrival in the White House writer Eddie Jen, self described “gay immigrant drag queen from San Francisco” found an unusual way to keep writing during lockdown: Jen started up an email conversation with his ex high school English teacher, Mrs Riley, from Ohio who taught him to love reading. This experience is the starting point for Jen to create, write and perform this piece, which takes some wonderful turns along the way.
Delicious detours in Jen’s anecdotes tell one or two intriguing risqué moments that add spice as well as a catalyst for a change in mood in this piece that is funny, witty, or provocative as well as realistic, serious and entertaining.
Jen performs with sincerity and panache! The narrow stage area is used well to relate to the audience throughout the show as Jen uses natural gestures, facial expressions and eye contact with the audience to draw us in. The personal story is well written and flows easily from start to finish. It turns out that Jen was a nerd in high school and became interested in politics at Clinton’s inauguration which generates a mood changes when Trump arrives in the White House, which is another focus of this piece.
A brief characterization of a therapist offers some wicked advice – but no spoilers here! While there are some interactive moments in this show, no one is put on the spot and this also motivates some interesting creative additions to the atmosphere and structure of the show. Drag writer Jen is personable and builds trust with us and it’s hard not to become fascinated with this story and enjoy Jen’s observations of life, opinions and experiences. The emotions build as the character develops and shows other sides of personality and attitude.
Jen’s drag character is realistic, fanciful and strong. In fact, Jen’s passion for writing may be the only thing to compete with Jen’s eternal search for Mr Darcy in Jane Austen fantasies! Highly Recommended!
