Tawdry Heartburn’s Manic Cures

“I lied to my friend about why I can’t go to her wedding...I told her I couldn’t get time off work but really I just don’t really like her very much” – Anonymous, 12th February 2009

If you could tell your deepest darkest secret without being identified, would you? Should you?

Tawdry Heartburn’s Manic Cures is a free interactive performance, installation and web-work offering you the chance to “get it off your chest”.

The performance unfolds in an intimate 15-20 minute conversation between Tawdry Heartburn, a six-foot-five nail technician, palmist and Manic-Curist of Secrets, and a single audience member or ‘client’. Surrounded by varnish, typewriters and things unsaid, Tawdry will professionally paint and polish your nails while inviting you to consider divulging a secret via his collection of mechanical “gossip machines”.

Anonymous secrets or regrets may be handwritten or typed, then placed in Tawdry’s secret box. At the end of each day, the box is emptied and contributions are added to the ever expanding Wall of Secrets for passers by to read. They are later added to aworldofsecrets.com, a website documenting secrets disclosed at past performances.

Tawdry’s mission in life? To achieve a world without secrets, to un-furrow the brows of millions and heal the internal consternation caused by unspoken truths – one set of nails at a time.

Photo: Otilee Lamb

Photo: Ashley de Prazer

Photo: Ashley de Prazer