We recently connected with Lindsay Lucas-Bartlett and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lindsay, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

So since I was about sixteen years old I have wanted to write and perform a solo show but never knew what I wanted it to be about or how to go about it, and I was also scared. It’s a terrifying process to even start. Fast forward…several years later, during the lockdown, I decided to actually start my solo show journey. After extensive research brainstorming sessions, I realized that I didn’t actually need to make up any stories for my solo show, I had them all already. My life has been crazy and it was time to share the craziness with the world, because someone somewhere can relate to some aspect or aspects of my show.

I approached my dear friend, Lindsay Perry about directing a show and before we had even met for our first rehearsal, I had already put down a deposit for a theatre to perform at the Hollywood Fringe Festival to workshop the show…that hadn’t yet been written.

So with eight weeks to go Perry and I started the process of building our show. The show, TRUST ME, I’M FROM ESSEX, a story of growing up in Essex, England, in a turbulent household. Being bullied at a Catholic all girls High school, moving away to college and getting a gaslighting boyfriend, finding out I am dyslexic, enduring a sexual assault, a family members suicide….I told you I had crazy stories didn’t I? To then moving to a new country, America, and building a brand new life for myself.

The story then morphed into a solo musical adding lots of comedic elements into this heavy weight show.

I performed the show again, the following year at Hollywood Fringe, where it won the Hollywood Producer’s Award and will be made its Off-Broadway debut on 17th November at 7pm with the United Solo Festival at Theatre Row, 42nd Street, NYC. the show will be going to Edinburgh Fringe Festival this August plus a one night only event at the Canal Cafe Theatre in London.

What has been really wonderful about this show is just how many people have been able to relate to the show and the themes. It has been truly eye opening for me when people come up to me after the show and tell me their own stories. It’s made the whole process worth it, as it was definitely scary putting myself and my stories out there into the world.

Lindsay, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I grew up in Essex, England and from the age of seven I knew I wanted to pursue a career and life in the arts, even though I was painfully shy at times.

After getting over all that I landed a place at drama school in London and went to study at the Actors Space in Barcelona as well. It was after drama school that a friend of mine, Katie Amess, who I had met on the course, (we actually had gone to the same school together but she was two years below me, and lived roads away from each other growing up) had asked me to move to Los Angeles with her.

It was during my drama school time that I was assaulted and months later my brother took his own life, so moving and getting a fresh start seemed like the no brainer choice for me.

LA has most certainly not been easy and I have been trying for over a decade to “get to the next level” in the acting world however the journey has been fun indeed and the people I have met along the way have been incredible. Now I have this solo musical show I feel like the journey has just gotten funner. LA has been a healing ground for me.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a creative is getting to tell stories and create worlds that people can relate to and inspire the audiences.

I of course love bringing other peoples visions to life, but I have so many of my own stories that I love just expressing myself and honoring those stories that already exist.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lindsaylucasbartlett.com
• Instagram: @duchesslindsay @trustmeimfromessex
• Twitter: @duchesslindsay
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBDg7osr3Po-vSGHdEnqzqw

Image Credits
Kendall Hawkes, Shannon Corbeil, stills taken from SOLOFEST 2023 show at the WHITEFIRE THEATRE in Sherman Oaks. Poster design by Jeff Pridgen.