Fool’s Goldmine, written and performed by Stacie Burrows (who we were lucky enough to chat to on our YouTube channel — you can watch our interview here), is an honest and real look into the lengths parents have gone, and will continue to go, to in order to give their children the best possible upbringing. Crammed full of moving ballads, hilarious anecdotes and real snapshots of her own life, Stacie and the rest of her team have created an intimate yet relatable story of the genuine debt crisis sweeping through America!
Following the similar cosy and intimate style of her previous work, including No Good Drunk (which you can read our review of here), the show sees Stacie simply standing on the stage with a microphone as she shares a collection of powerful stories from her own upbringing. She explains how she grew up in a luxurious family home while her family were hiding the secret that they were actually very broke. Bordering on being more of a conversation with the audience than a traditional one-person show, Stacie shares her honest experiences of growing up within this façade, complete with a collection of actual pictures and documents from her childhood. These not only establish that these events are genuine, but also help the audience to follow along with the aspects they may be less familiar with. For us, this included some of the more distinctly American references, while still keeping the focus firmly on the show itself. Sharing her own highly relatable experiences directly with the audience creates an extremely welcoming and trusting environment that makes the show feel more like a catch-up with a loved one. This again helps make the production incredibly inclusive and immersive. One of the most powerful moments in the show sees Stacie talk about acquiring a wonderfully fancy doll’s house that she had planned to build with her father. However, he was constantly preoccupied with sorting out the family’s finances and attempting to maintain the façade they had been portraying over the past couple of years. The fact that her father could not find the time to help build this structure and instead focused on the family’s cash flow is an obvious warning about the importance of family and spending time together. Additionally, it acts as a metaphor for Stacie’s yearning to build her own safe space and family in a way that avoids many of the issues she had to endure during her childhood, which is an incredible addition to the story being shared. After her family home floods, serving as a stark reminder that financial issues cannot simply go unnoticed, she relocates to a more modest and cosy home. This causes Stacie and her family to reevaluate what is truly important and whether showcasing your wealth, even when it is all a façade, is really worth it.
As stated earlier, Stacie also uses this show as an opportunity to showcase her vocal abilities, with a collection of songs created in collaboration with Sam Small (which you can actually listen to on Spotify here). She demonstrates that it is not just entertaining and heartfelt stories that she can share, but that she also has the talent to deliver heartbreaking ballads throughout the production. During the earlier sections of the show, Stacie shares the incredible “Uptight and Highstrung”, which explores the difference in personalities between herself and her sister, only for them to discover that the family façade actually brings them together. She starts the number by talking about the differences in how the two were brought up, with the eldest having the fanciest cars, clothes, etc. However, as Stacie aged, the ‘goldmine’ began to run dry, leaving her with less extravagant gifts and encouraging her to find her own job in order to support herself. This caused somewhat of a clash between the two siblings, but throughout the events of the show, they gain a sense of admiration for each other. This song is a clear display of how different the sisters are, but the main thing they have in common is the fact that their family was at different stages of dealing with these financial issues. This is ultimately what brings them together, while also inviting the audience into the story, as it is highly likely that, at some point, they will experience or have experienced something similar. One of my favourite songs throughout this entire show, however, was the sombre “Gambler’s Blues”, which highlights the idea that while winning money at a casino can be exhilarating in the moment, there will come a time when it will not be as positive. When talking about gambling or casinos, the phrase ‘the house always wins’ is often thrown around in a jovial manner, without any consideration of how badly gambling can affect those who have lost immense amounts of money on certain games. Stacie’s song really puts this idea at the forefront while exploring the sadness and depression that can occur after someone has lost substantial amounts of money. This tear-jerking track is a stark warning to those going down a similar path to her own father, which can only have a positive effect on those in attendance who are, have been, or will be going through a similar issue. One of the more eccentric titles in the album underpinning Fool’s Goldmine is the final track, “Fried Chicken”. This song explores the power of food and the importance of forming those ingrained memories that remain with us years after everything has taken place. The soulful and moving song highlights how this was a dish her mother used to make, with the smell filling the house. This was a connection that Stacie would never forget. One of the most poignant lyrics in this track is the phrase, “She told you she loved you without words.” The song explains how her mother “wasn’t one for hugs” or “one for kisses”, but that Stacie “got what [she] needed from her fried chicken”. This is such a powerful and poignant piece of songwriting and performance that it will have the audience instantly thinking about their own loved ones.
In conclusion, Fool’s Goldmine by Stacie Burrows is an incredibly moving and powerful story documenting the solo performer’s own experiences of living through her family’s financial façade, while highlighting some of the mistakes she is trying to avoid. This is not a show that provides all the answers to the global cost-of-living crisis, but it is the perfect injection of hope for those who have experienced, or are currently experiencing, financial difficulties. Stacie positions herself on the cosy and intimate stage at Sprout Studio at Greenside in such a raw, approachable and honest way. Her direct discussions with the audience instantly draw them in and create an environment where people can truly feel safe and looked after. I would rate this show 5 out of 5 stars!
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