Edinburgh fringe solo show uses online video format to confront childhood trauma
At the Edinburgh fringe, performer Verona Verbakel's solo show 'OnlyFans for Therapy' uses first-person video footage to explore the lasting effects of childhood abuse. The production is part of the Big in Belgium programme.
Writer and performer Verona Verbakel is presenting a solo show at the Edinburgh fringe titled 'OnlyFans for Therapy', which borrows the format of online video platforms to explore emotional rather than physical exposure. The piece centres on a woman haunted by abuse she suffered at age five and the further distress caused by an investigation when she turned 18.
The title references sites that offer intimate access for payment, but here the idea is reframed around the cost of therapy. Verbakel has calculated that she would need 2,599 sessions with a psychiatrist at £70 each to work through a lifetime of recovery from her trauma.
An unconventional staging
Directed by Karolien De Bleser, the production reflects a distinctly Belgian approach that sets aside typical theatrical conventions. For most of the show, Verbakel sits at a laptop with a stony expression, occasionally making eye contact with the audience while appearing detached from the video content being played.
In the first-person videos shown during the performance, Verbakel's tone shifts between light-hearted and tearful — from lying in bed wearing a sleep mask while listing emotional triggers, to painful visits to the location where the original abuse took place, during which she breaks down.
The show is part of the Big in Belgium programme and runs at Zoo Playground in Edinburgh until 30 August.
