That’s Why Mums go to Switzerland

My name is Bonnie Oddie. I’m a writer/performer and Im hoping to fundraise to support my one woman show ‘That’s Why Mums go to Switzerland’.

This piece is based on the true story of my experience of living together with my mother and two daughters. Becoming a ‘bad mother and a bad daughter at the very same time’. The story reaches its climax with us accompanying my Mum to Dignitas for an assisted death after she is diagnosed with Altzeimers dementia.

I talk about mothers and daughters, the legacy of guilt, blame and love. I talk about death, impermanence and transformation. And, it’s surprisingly funny!

There is a big conversation happening around assisted dying right now in the UK. This work is not a direct argument for or against, rather, it is an honest offering that shares the complexity of choosing to die within the realities of family dynamics. In this way, I hope it can inform opinion and encourage truly compassionate dialogues, rather than fear based reactive ones.

I didn’t know I was a writer/performer until recently. I trained as a dancer in my youth, and have enjoyed a good thirty years of being a dancer, teacher, choreographer and mother. Now, in my early fifties, I have discovered a new voice. It’s bold, and funny and heartfelt.

This work grew out of taking part in a True Story LDN show a while ago. I was featured in their podcast and was encouraged to develop my writing by many people, namely Michele Toth, the creator of True Story LDN. I had a strong instinct that my writing style was geared towards she stage. So, I called upon the assistance of my old friend, director Steve Medlin, and together we created ‘That’s Why Mums go to Switzerland’.

So far, the work has been performed at the Brighton Fringe and Riverside Studio’s Bitesize Festival, where it won the award for Best Solo Show.

The donations received before Bitesize were used to prepare the work, set, costumes, technical support, flyers, travel and promotion.  

The aim now is to seek out further performance opportunities. To this end I need the time and resource to create promotional materials:

• Show reel
• Photography
• Promotional design

And raise awareness of the work.

• Support with promotion and networking.