HAPPY ENDING
Riverside Studios
★★★★
“Corcoran’s writing is slick, biting and devilishly funny in equal measure”
Everyone deserves happiness, right? Cameron Corcoran seems to think so in his play, ‘Happy Ending’ – though it’s not necessarily the ending you expect.
This pithy, first-person, one-woman play dives straight into the life of ‘Ariel’, a no-holds barred sex worker who grabs our attention as tightly as she might one of her clients (!). She candidly reflects on her life and the choices that got her here with disarming frankness and humour. As the play progresses, cracks appear in her outwardly perky demeanour, until a pivotal decision snaps her blurry world into focus and forces her to confront a reality she would rather suppress.
Produced by Off Main Stage company as part of Bitesize Festival, ‘Happy Ending’ is a sharp and absorbing take on serious themes including sex work, psychological defence mechanisms and the slipperiness of reality. But it’s far from gloomy – Corcoran’s writing is slick, biting and devilishly funny in equal measure, punctuated by well-timed, incisive and rather racy jokes. The prose cleverly reveals and conceals. The entire show is in first person with Ariel confiding in the audience as if to a close friend. It’s never made clear who we are or why we are in her confidence, but that’s the point: we only exist as far as Ariel requires us to, trapped in her warped reality as much as she is.
There are a couple of writing elements which work less well. The ending, though impactful in its brevity, feels a tad abrupt since the emotional build up is much meatier than the resolution. Secondly, I want to dig deeper into Ariel’s motivations and history, but she never lets us in that far. Finally, Ariel bears the full burden of responsibility for the perceived negative impact she has on her male clients’ lives without exploring any male accountability, which I find frustrating.
That said, the direction by Anastasia Bunce and assistant director Isabelle Tyner is fantastic. Ariel addresses the audience directly with lots of sustained eye contact which I couldn’t help but meet. The chumminess of her delivery contrasts deliciously with the fantastical illusion she creates. The lack of fourth wall is ironic as Ariel believes she IS a wall of sorts (go see it, you’ll get what I mean). Pacing is used to great effect, racing through the more outlandish opening section as if in a rush to build her world, before pulling back and sinking into more vulnerable moments.
Helena Harrison sparkles as Ariel. She flits from witty to brazen to charming without batting an eyelid, landing her jokes with excellent comic timing and satisfying grit. The opening section is so slick, not a single moment is lost despite the rapid pace. Harrison knows exactly when to draw us in with a subtle pause here, a slight frown there to show the mask slipping, and builds tension and pain throughout the emotional climax. She perhaps could have brought a touch more light and shade to the emotional revelation scene for even more impact, but overall Harrison should be commended on a fantastic performance.
The staging is simple and symbolic: a bed and a chair represent fantasy and reality respectively. Flick Isaac Chilton’s sound design skilfully fills any visual gap, locating us immediately with vivid audio moments. The array of sound effects is impressively deployed, adding an almost dreamlike quality. There is symbolism in Hannah Clancy’s lighting design too, transitioning from bright, almost gaudy pinks, to nightclub strobe, to more sombre cool tones as the piece progresses. The costumes add a further layer of depth. Ironically the more authentically we see Ariel, the more ‘covered up’ she is, further blurring our perception of her.
Charming yet clandestine, raw yet regulated, ‘Happy Ending’ is a powerful piece of theatre in the hands of a highly skilled team. Despite my plot reservations, it’s a fascinating, absorbing and funny watch. I highly recommend getting to know Ariel – though you may leave with more questions than you started.
HAPPY ENDING
Riverside Studios
Reviewed on 11th July 2025
by Hannah Bothelton
Photography by Anastasia Bunce
Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:
DEAR ANNIE, I HATE YOU | ★★★★ | May 2025
THE EMPIRE STRIPS BACK | ★★★★★ | May 2025
SISYPHEAN QUICK FIX | ★★★ | March 2025
SECOND BEST | ★★★★ | February 2025
HERE YOU COME AGAIN | ★★★★ | December 2024
DECK THE STALLS | ★★★ | December 2024
THE UNSEEN | ★★★★ | November 2024
FRENCH TOAST | ★★★★ | October 2024
KIM’S CONVENIENCE | ★★★ | September 2024
THE WEYARD SISTERS | ★★ | August 2024
