Tegan Verheul and the Fellowship of the Ring

Written by: Si Hawkins
Published: Monday 12th August 2024

Who do you picture when you think of wrestling fans? Excitable kids? Awkward teens? Over-excitable dads, in vests? Or maybe even Tegan Verheul, the Canadian comedian whose devotion is such that she's doing a whole show about the sport - some might say 'sport', with a raised eyebrow - at this year's Edinburgh Fringe.

Chokeslam is a one-woman (and some cardboard cut-outs) extravaganza that's about great hulking spandex-clad behemoths smashing each other with chairs, but is also autobiographical. Which takes some doing. So let's find out how.

When did you realise that wrestling was going to be a big part of your life?

I woke up one morning and opened my closet and it was 100% wrestling merch. I talk about this in Chokeslam, but I actually became a wrestling fan later in life and as a consequence of being a late bloomer, I had no restraint. I think it felt like I had a lot of catching up to do? I went from being a normie to wearing Daniel Bryan UGG boots to the grocery store. In retrospect, maybe it was a bit overkill.

Could you give us an insight into the show - what was the first spark that started the idea?

Chokeslam started as a drama school assignment when I was at RCSSD in 2022. We were told to write a monologue about something we're passionate about, so I picked wrestling. Other people picked important things like politics and pressing global issues but I thought - no.

People need to know what 'kayfabe' means and why The Undertaker and Mankind's iconic Hell in a Cell match at King of the Ring 1998 is actually a deeply moving piece of performance art that touches on some universal truths. Then I wove in some awkward personal stuff about a devastating breakup because I'm a narcissist, and voila! The first lil baby version of Chokeslam was born.

And how does the show work? Did you need to be ruthless with niche references, to make it more accessible?

I tried really hard to find a balance! I tell people this show is one part Wrestling 101, one part oral history of the Attitude Era, and one part me spilling my deepest darkest secrets. You can't tell the story of wrestling properly if your audience doesn't understand basic concepts like babyface, heel, heat, etc so I've worked in some educational bits and visual aids to make it more accessible.

I'm a physical storyteller, so I re-enact a few iconic moments and matches (like Hell in a Cell) in a way that either ignites the imagination or triggers the memory. I have - hopefully - woven in enough niche references to satisfy the appetites of the truly die-hard pro wrestling fans, but we'll find out.

Any grappling experience yourself? Or just wrestling with tax returns, scripts, etc?

God no. I'm incredibly risk averse. I wrestle with my emotions. I wrestle with hard truths. I wrestle with the fear that I'm fundamentally unlovable. I also think that while I am very strong and very intimidating, I'd struggle to suplex someone or throw them through a table because physical touch is my main love language. If you put me in a ring with a wrestler, I'd probably just try to cuddle them. Or kiss them (with consent). At the very least, we'd hold hands.

Why do you think so many wrestlers become decent actors - do you need good acting chops to make it big in the wrestling world?

You definitely do! What is 'selling' if not acting? I had this exact conversation with one of my wrestler friends the other day. Loads of wrestlers take acting classes and improv classes to improve their skills on the mic, to learn how to cut a promo, to understand character development and story arcs. You need an insane amount of athleticism to be a wrestler, but you're never going to 'get over' if people don't buy your character.

I think I met you flyering outside Mythos: Ragnarok last year - was that show a sign that wrestling can cross over?

Yes you did! Man, I think I saw Mythos: Ragnarok five times last year. It's an excellent gateway drug for people who love theatre but have never seen wrestling. I took a British friend who turned to me about halfway through and went "Ohhh! It's like panto!"

You cheer the good guys, you boo the bad guys. You make a lot of noise. As an audience member, you're involved! It's very theatrical. I would also argue that, like panto, and like Fringe theatre, it's a working class art form that's more accessible than traditional theatre and has more diverse audiences.

What's your dream destination for this show? Pre-show entertainment at Summerslam maybe?

Oh god. Could you imagine a big box of [WWE breakfast cereal] Booty-O's tips over and I come out and deliver a really earnest 60-minute solo show in homemade wrestling gear to 65,000 people at Allegiant Stadium?

To be honest I've been so focussed on making Chokeslam bigger and better than it was last year (it feels like an entirely different show now!), that I haven't had the luxury of dreaming about the future yet. I would really really love to tour it, though. You'll have to come see it and let me know where you think it belongs. For now, though, I'll dream big: the Bermuda Triangle.