"A Cup of Coffee and a Wink" with Girl Brain

The way I conduct these interviews is almost exclusively online or over the phone (with the exception of Janis Irwin who was kind enough to meet us socially distanced in Borden Park), regardless, they all get recorded on my phone and laboriously transcribed by hand. So for my meeting with Edmonton-based comedy trio Girl Brain I was really worried about recording three voices and differentiating them in the transcription. That was until a wise friend of mine suggested asking the three to answer in distinct dialects. That was the best piece of journalism related advice I’ve ever received. The incredible women of Girl Brain, Alyson Dicey (she/her) who perfectly executed a posh British dialect, Ellie Heath (she/her) who spoke like a Southern Belle and Caley Suliak (she/her) who never failed to impress me with her consistent Scottish dialect, made this one of the best interviews I’ve ever conducted. 

That being said, it wasn’t just the silly accents that made this a perfect interview but also the lovely advice and words of wisdom as well as heartfelt sentiments from Dicey, Heath and Suliak.

How did each of you get started in the arts and/ or comedy?

AD: I started doing drama in junior high school, I was quite a shy little one. I had a wonderful drama teacher who asked me to join the drama club. Then suddenly, I had tons of new friends that were just weirdos like me. I did a play and immediately felt more confident and it just became my joy in life, and [became like] my new personality. [..] I moved [to go to the U of A] when  I was 17 and joined the BFA acting program, it took a few tries but I did. After school I decided that I wanted to keep doing that so I started a small theatre company with one of your teachers Mr. K[uefler] called Thou Art Here Theatre. 

EH: I started performing when I was nine, I did the Christmas show in my school which went really well and the next year I got to play the lead role which was in the Nutcracker. I remember having a line that was “I’m the Nutcracker, I crack nuts!” and everybody just started laughing and that was my first experience making people laugh and realizing that it feels really good. I’ve been on stage ever since. I was in all the school drama programs and I went to drama camp when I was 15; actually, I met Caley at drama camp, at ArtsTrek; it was another one of those experiences realizing that these are my people. I went to theatre school and the first day, Caley was there where we reunited. 

CS: there’s not much more I can add to the story really. I had the same experience at ArtsTrek and found that these are my weirdos. It was either go to University on a soccer scholarship or choose the life of an artist, so I chose the life of an artist and I’ve never been happier.

How did the three of you meet? How did Girl Brain come to be?

CS: Well we were sitting there in an Earl’s one evening and Byron [Martin] from Grindstone Theatre [previously] said that they were looking for an all female comedy group. So, we were sitting around talking about boys; I had just gone through a really big breakup and we eventually came up with the idea for Girl Brain. It was born out of a love of comedy and women’s brains and what we love about it, what bonds us together and what could qualify us as crazy even though we don’t really like that terminology. Really, it's what’s positive and weird and putting it in a funny manner.

Why do you do it?

EH: I just have to say that I do it because performing is the only time that I really feel like myself and that I feel really happy. Just 110% happy. And everything that we do to prepare ourselves to prepare to perform for our audience and those moments we get to perform for our audience is just a dream come true. All of the hard work just becomes worth it when we get up on stage and get to make people laugh, and laugh at ourselves, and laugh with each other. It’s really cool to have friends who are really good at stuff and when you get to be good at stuff together in the same moment-- that’s why I do it.

AD: I remember our first show at Grindstone and we put together so much [material] and we had no idea how it would go. We were so scared and so excited, I don’t think I had ever been so scared and nervous for a show and coming off the stage after that show might be one of my all time favourite memories. And that’s because we did everything, it was all from the heart, we hit cues, we found cues, I learned all of the technical things which has now become a great joy in my life. It just felt so right.

CS: Well, just now, we were having a rehearsal right on Ellie’s balcony and during quarantine we haven’t been getting together a lot so just doing that now was like a reminder of how much I really just missed being silly. That’s why I do it, because it’s a great way to connect and be ridiculous with the people who know you the best. 

What can you say to speak to young performers?

AD: I would say: make your own stuff. Don’t be afraid to get out there and produce your own stuff. We have one of the biggest Fringe Festivals in the world, that’s where we all started. Anyone can do it and I bet you, since you come from such a great community of other people there will be a ton of people who want to help you. I’ve always found, since university when I met Neil Kuefler, I’ve been able to say “I have an idea, wanna do it with me?” and never had a lack of creative people. There’s so many inspiring people in Edmonton.

EH: I think my advice would be to make it fun, if it’s not fun, it’s not worth it. It’s a hard enough career as it is as you put a lot of stuff to the side to pursue a career in the performing arts and we do it because we love it and because it is fun and to remind yourself that it should be fun.

CS: Be bold. Make bold choices, apply for things that you don’t necessarily think you’re gonna get and don’t let that get you down because, like Ellie said, it should be fun. Just keep doing it and doing it and doing it and eventually your hard work and perseverance is going to pay off.

What would you say to yourself in high school?

AD: If I could speak to my younger self I would say ‘’don’t care what the other people are thinking about you, do the things that you love for yourself.” Also [I’d say] you’re the one that has to live with yourself so make sure you’re happy with who you are and how you present yourself and what you do with your time.

For young women, [I’d say] to remember that it’s not a competition and that we’re working together. We have to have each other’s backs and celebrate one another and our accomplishments. 

EH: I think I’d have the same advice as I just did which would be: have fun. You’re only here for a cup of coffee and a wink, make it fun, make it happy, spend time around people who bring out the best in you.

CS: Continue to be goofy and continue to enjoy yourself. If you enjoy yourself other people will enjoy you.