Q&A with Bettina Paris about Edinburgh Festival Fringe show Sisyphean Quick Fix

Based on lived experience, writer and performer Bettina Paris explores how the complexities of alcoholism can affect families and family relationships in her play Sisyphean Quick Fix. It follows two sisters – Krista in London, and Pip in Malta – as they realise the severity of their father’s drinking problem.

We spoke to Bettina about writing the show ahead of its run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

What inspired you to write Sisyphean Quick Fix?

Sisyphean Quick Fix was born out of a want to give a voice to the multiple casualties of addiction by putting those living with a person struggling with the disease at the centre, whilst sharing a message of hope for the future, in the sisters’ united compassion. I always knew that I had wanted to be more open about our struggles as a family living with someone with addiction and as a migrant artist, was eager to find a way to put myself on stage as I’ve found that casting opportunities over the years have been few and far between. I wrote bits here and there over the last four years, within which my father eventually passed away. When that happened, I felt the urge to complete and stage this work more than ever before. For me, sharing this play with the world was always about more than the artistic merit it could achieve, but the social change it could instigate. 

Can you tell us more about the main characters, Krista and Pip, and their relationship?

Krista and Pip are sisters. They’re close. Krista has moved to London to pursue her career as an actor and at the start of the play, we realise things aren’t going too well for her, as she’s currently out of a job and working bars instead. Pip lives in Malta, works a nine-to-five job, and is newly engaged to her long-time partner Max. Their father has been struggling with an alcohol addiction his whole life, though, at this point in time, his substance use has worsened. As this situation puts a huge strain on their lives, it tests their close relationship with each other. When we first meet them, we become privy to the fact that currently, their bond rests on this juggling act they desperately try to manage together. Ultimately, both sisters are yearning for a life away from these forced responsibilities, yet their deep love and empathy for their father is clear, after all this they’ve known this version of him their whole lives. Theatre critic Ramona Depares said it best, Krista and Pip “are neither martyrs nor prodigal daughters. They’re simply human, and we utterly feel their pain, their joy, their anger…”

How did you draw on your own experiences to shape the story?

Sisyphean Quick Fix is inspired by my own experience of living with a father who struggled with addiction and draws on how I navigated through it amidst a lot of the changes in my life, the biggest one being my move to London seven years ago. A lot of the scenes are built on moments that occurred in my own life, which I’ve adapted to fit the story the play represents. I really wanted to highlight the experience of those living with the addict and give a voice to them, as so often we see dramatizations on stage or on screen that tell a story of addiction from the addict’s point of view. I don’t want to reveal too much, but the moments I chose to include reveal key aspects of the reality of the carers (who in this case also have the added challenge of being separated by migration)… Their reality pushes the characters to extremes, just as what happened in my own life, and the amount of ridiculousness that comes out of those moments, is what makes the play relatable, authentic, and heartbreakingly funny. 

What message do you hope audiences take away from Sisyphean Quick Fix?

As someone who has first-hand experience caring for someone with alcoholism, I wanted Sisyphean Quick Fix to act as a vessel for audiences to delve into their preconceived notions of addiction. It is an ingrained part of our culture to drink. This has unconsciously made a lot of people with addiction issues feel isolated and ashamed, which in part makes it difficult for them and their families to access the resources they need. The more we can engage in conversations about it, the more normalised becomes for people to seek help. I have done my best to present this in as genuine, raw, and truthful a way as possible, all the while keeping in mind that audiences come to the theatre to be entertained, so it’s as funny as it is poignant too. 

What challenges did you face while writing and performing Sisyphean Quick Fix?

I think the biggest challenge was the writing part. I’ve always written, mainly poetry, some short stories, and a couple of scenes here and there, but this is my first full-length play, so I really took my time with it and went through several drafts to get here. I wanted to give it my best shot so I have welcomed feedback from those I look up to and trust willingly. As I mentioned above, whilst the play was in the works, my father passed away. That was a tough time and a very surreal moment. I desperately wanted to continue writing but found it especially hard as I had written a scene that included his death and I almost felt like I had caused it (the brain works in strange ways?!) Eventually, I came back more willed than ever to bring it to fruition. Performing alongside Tina Rizzo is a joy, we really do have the best time together and the play has really brought us together (art imitates life?!) She’s a phenomenal performer and a brilliant partner to go through this journey with. The play is a lot of fun! We jump from moment to moment so quickly it keeps us on our toes and it has been a challenge we have welcomed with open arms, with the fantastic Nicky Allpress at the helm guiding us, it really has been an exciting learning experience and I’ve grown so much as an artist. I’m blessed with a very special creative team that has put everything into the show and deeply cares about its legacy, which is a true gift. 

What has the response been like from people who have seen the play so far?

The response has been overwhelmingly positive, from the new writing hubs (Omnibus Theatre, Papatango, Theatre503) that helped its development along the way, to the critics who reviewed our preview run and all of the audiences we’ve had so far from our scratch nights to our previews. I’ve had people who have been carers for others for other reasons outside addiction tell me they felt seen, people connect with the sibling dynamic and the commentary on migration and how it affects relationships too, the aspect of my generation now in our thirties stepping into this new role of caring for our parents, and of course, those personally affected by addiction themselves. The best feedback has been universal – that the piece wears its heart on its sleeve, it's anything but superficial, it's honest and heartbreakingly funny, which is exactly what I wanted to achieve, and knowing that it’s had an impact on people, means everything. 

Sisyphean Quick Fix is at Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance Below, 31 Jul – 26 Aug 2024 (not 14), 11.05 (12.00). For tickets go to https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/sisyphean-quick-fix