Motherhood is complicated. It’s messy, terrifying and wonderful. Really, it’s all the things. This serves as the template for award-winning British musical comedian Tamar Broadbent’s boldest and most personal show yet, which will make its Toronto Fringe Festival debut this year. Plus One not only debunks parenting myths, but it also uplifts mothers as the unsung heroes they are and transforms relatable fears into hope. 

Recently, I had the privilege of chatting with Tamar about creating Plus One, what audiences can expect, how her show is universal and more. 

This interview is condensed for length and clarity. 

I went to drama school for a year. After drama school, I was basically just another short blonde woman. I didn’t even know where to start in terms of what made me stand out amongst all the other young blonde women going for the same roles as me. I’ve always been a songwriter. At uni, I had written a musical. Then, I learned about musical comedy — it hadn’t really been on TV in England before that.

I thought, “Oh, maybe I could give that a go.” I saw a post on Twitter that said, “There’s a gig tonight. There’s a spot going down in Brighton,” which is a couple of hours from my house. I’d never done comedy before. I spent about six hours writing a 10-minute comedy set.

That first one was amazing. They laughed in all the right places. I just kept on doing it. I went to the Edinburgh Festival and did a full show straight away. Everything I’ve done has snowballed from there. 

It’s a musical comedy show about becoming a mother. It’s based on my personal journey of going from never wanting to be a mother to that all completely changing. Why that changed, how it changed, how it wasn’t necessarily easy. How I examine all the parts I think are quite unfair about what we have to go through and what you have to give up. Even if you are in a team, which I am with my husband, there are things you will always go through that they never will. Also, I had a bit of a crap dad, let’s put it that way, so [I didn’t want] to repeat patterns.

Looking at generations and how things have changed through the generations. There are heartfelt bits as well. It explores themes of identity. It’s a musical storytelling show where I weave songs into the journey.

They can expect to come on a journey with me. They will laugh. It’s a lot of fun, but I also want them to feel something. They can see me play a bunch of different characters. Like birth guru characters who tell you that you should feel all the pain to its fullest because really, you’re not a mom if you haven’t suffered. Also, a tiny cameo from George Clooney as well.

There’s also an improvised club song, which is where I get a suggestion from the audience, and I sing. I’m an improviser as well as a musical comedian. I did a couple of years at an American Improv Theatre. So, I’m going to serenade them with my silly story songs, and I hope they will leave feeling validated about those fears or stresses or the chaos of it.

If you never want to be a parent, [you also have] a little window into what that journey is for a person, going from one state to another. It’s going through any change that is as mad as that. I hope they’ll be able to connect with it and leave feeling joyful because it is a joyful, uplifting show. I like to send my audiences out feeling hopeful and on a bit of a high.

Musical. Uplifting. Ridiculous.

I can tell you what a few of them are about. I have a song about wanting to have a baby, but I don’t want to be a mum. I want to have a baby, but I don’t want to have all the stuff that’s scary or embarrassing about being a mum. This idea that mums have to disappear and do all the work and wear mum jeans and stuff.

I have a song called “I Tried Hard to Breastfeed, But It Sucked,” a comedic song about the journey of trying to live up to the expectations of what you think you’re supposed to do. Then, I’ve got my improvised club song. I also got “An Ode to Alcohol.” Alcohol, I’ll never take you for granted again — having to give it up for nine months because wine is my favorite thing in the universe.

I also have a ballad called “Skin to Skin,” which I’m quite proud of. There’s one touching song in the show. I always allow myself one. “Here’s to All the Embarrassing Mothers” is a song about all the stuff like going to bed so early and being really lame.

I actually love being lame these days, being in bed by 9:00 — being really proud of the idea that I’m always going to wear pink hot pants no matter how old I am. 

Looking down the barrel of being a parent, you have to make a choice. You’re going to get somewhere, and there’s no way back. It’s that idea that sometimes you have to make a choice in life you’re unsure about, and it’s not necessarily going to be great all the way through. For example, if you’ve ever had to move from one state to another, or you’re frightened of leaving behind something that was really amazing to get something better, but you don’t know what’s going to happen. The other angle of it is being a woman, and the stuff expected of you that is hidden under the surface.

Even outside of motherhood, you are expected to do certain things. The details are often hidden, and you don’t realize it. There was so much I had never even heard of before having a baby. I was like, “Why doesn’t everyone know about this?” 

People don’t care about women, really. They don’t care about moms that much, so it’s not discussed. It should be talked about. I would hope that even if someone doesn’t want to be a mom, a human journey is interesting in the way I find stories interesting, that I will never go through and never relate to. 

Another idea I really try to articulate is what it means to become invisible when you become a mother and why. I’ve spoken to my mom friends about that. No one can really put their finger on it. You know it’s there, this idea that you disappear from society or relevance, but you can’t quite blame it on anyone. You can’t explain what it is.

MM: What have you taken away from this experience, from creating this show and getting it on its feet?

TB: I’ve written about six musical comedy shows. I love doing it because I love vibrant, variety comedy. I’m most proud of this show because I think it’s the most honest one I’ve done. I’ve really enjoyed storytelling comedians over the last few years. Also, everyone’s really into authenticity right now. If you’re not telling the truth, what’s the point? 

I really tried to dig deep with this show and be honest about it because I think the more specific, the more universal, the more people relate to it. It’s like the writer of The Golden Girls said: find what’s awkward and uncomfortable for you and trust that it will be funny if you write about it. 

I found what’s a bit painful and uncomfortable, and I’ve written about it. I’ve done a couple of previews of the show, but really, the first time I get it on its feet will be in Canada. It’s a completely new audience for me. I’ve performed in America, but I’ve never performed in Canada.

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I’m sure stuff will change as I go along. You get to a certain point with a show, and then I think it needs to be in front of people. That’s the last living, breathing part of it. It’s what really makes it a show.

MM: What are your comedic influences? Who inspires you?

TB: Back to the start, probably my mom. She’s very funny. She always found humor in difficult times. Again, I had an absent father figure. There was always a lot of confusion, difficulty and pain around that. I also have large influences from improvisers like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

I got really into improv when I came to London, [and it] was only about 10 years ago when Chicago-style improv made it there. Then, I auditioned for Boom Chicago and worked with Americans. I was like, “God, I love this. No one does it like this.” That style of humor, that kind of naturalistic improv, which was very different from short form.

Bridesmaids is one of my earliest favorite comedy films I can think of. I was just like, “This is just everything to me.” Also, this is why you have to let women write films because it’s so great.

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MM: Amen to that.

TB: Yes, let them do it. My influences probably came more from sitcoms and films than from stand-up. Stand-up was something I only discovered in my 20s when I saw it live.

MM: Last question. What is on the horizon for you?

TB: After Toronto Fringe, I go back to Edinburgh Fringe. It’s going to be a big, long summer of festivals, which is great. I hope the show will have a future life as well. I’d love to take it onward to theaters or other festivals. I will continue writing musical comedy and musical theater. I write musical theater songs as well, [I’m] still doing improv and I’ve got a couple of show ideas in development.

Plus One will run through July 12, 2025, at the Alumnae Theatre as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival. You can follow Tamar Broadbent on Instagram (@tamarbroadbent) and check out her site to stay up to date.

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