The granddaddy of all fanfic is, of course, Kirk/Spock, from Star Trek. A type of fiction invented by women, and embraced by queer people, fanfic has kept fandoms for some shows running for decades after a television programme has stopped being made. Whilst fanfic can, and has, been written about almost anything, it’s the fandoms for visual media who have really taken the concept to heart.
Jessica Durand: Over The Top, is described in the show’s publicity as being “An absurd one-woman love letter to fandom, queer villainy and trench warfare”. It’s also about odd coincidences. Here, there’s a lot of things that happen on the same date in different years. Durant talks about these differing events early on in the show. Like all great fanfics, this is foreshadowing, which pays off later in the performance.
As the audience files into the tunnel-like performance space at Underbelly on Cowgate, there’s an opening slide of what seems to be a PowerPoint presentation already being projected. It’s the first page of Durand’s self-insert fanfic, in which she is a nurse – Peggy – working at Downton Abbey before World War One begins. On war being declared. ‘Peggy’ volunteers as a nurse, to serve on the western front. The fanfic heavily involves Thomas Barrow, who has joined up to serve as a soldier, and various other Downton characters.
Whilst this sounds like it’s going to be very niche, there is much broader appeal here, for anyone who has ever been so much as even ‘fanfic-curious’. Whilst the specifics do matter, the ideas and themes being discussed here could apply to fanfic from almost any fandom. Durand takes us through what fanfic is, and their experience with it. There’s discussions of research – and how it’s often the case that fanfic researchers know an awful lot about historic time periods, or places they’ve never visited, or cultures they’re not a part of, in order to be able to produce fic that feels authentic.
As is often the case, there’s also some taking to task of the original text. Durand even quotes from an academic journal article, to confirm why a moment that is a significant plot point in the show has been portrayed entirely incorrectly. Durand also corrects this error in her own fic later.
Once the commentary and introductory section are, if not complete, then at least significantly revealed, we move on to the dramatisation of Durand’s fic, also entitled ‘Over The Top’. This section is hilarious, not because of the quality of the writing – which is excellent, but because Durand leans into every trope, and revisits many of the story elements and plot tokens that were introduced earlier. Durand also isn’t afraid to be vulnerable, stripping down to some (probably) re-creation Edwardian-era underwear, before donning a tiny kilt and soldier’s helmet. It doesn’t sound like it would make sense, but it does once Durand gets there.
Rather like the fandom experience, there’s a lot going on here, with different ideas and pieces of information thrown at you, seemingly at random. Actually, this show is incredibly well constructed, as the narrative loops back around to earlier ideas, tying up thoughts neatly.
The audio-visual element is also well done. As you’d perhaps expect for a show about fandom and fanfic, it’s partially in the format of a powerpoint, and partially clips from, well, mostly Downton Abbey, used to set the scene, and illustrate specific points.
If this is the sort of thing that you are into, then this is absolutely the show for you at this year’s Fringe. Durand is warm, witty and winningly confident in her material, delivering her story with confidence. Durand’s fic may be Over The Top, but she performs it from the bottom of her heart.
Jessica Durand: Over The Top continues in Delhi Belly at Underbelly Cowgate at 18:55 daily, until August 24
