Tag Archives: Harriet Corke

FFS! (A Feminist Fable Series)
★★★★

The Space

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FFS! (A Feminist Fable Series)

FFS! (A Feminist Fable Series)

The Space

Reviewed – 6th March 2019

★★★★

 

“All three pieces are written with wit, nuance and understanding”

 

With International Women’s Day just around the corner, the question remains: how do we deal with the problems facing women today? How do we tackle everyday sexism, unspoken fears and societal pressures? Wonderbox have the answer – to discuss them frankly and honestly whilst also finding the funny side. And that’s exactly what every piece in their show Feminist Fable Series does.

The first piece, StilettNO!, tackles workplace double standards. Jac (Carla Garratt) is an office temp whose boss, Jack (Jack Westgate), tells her that female employees are required to wear heels. For some reason, Jac objects. ‘Why?’ Jack wonders. Luckily, the narrator (Danica Corns) is on hand to guide the bewildered Jack through this difficult situation. Corns’ gently acerbic narration is the highlight of this play, which is well-written if a little abrupt in its ending.

The Night is without question the funniest of the three. Jessica (Corns), Gemma (Garratt), and Liz (Alice Merivale) need to get home after a house party. Walk? No way. Night bus? Not after last time. Taxi? Didn’t know you were up for getting kidnapped. As the girls figure out what to do, their conversation moves beyond the problem with men and onto their problems with each other. The three actors have great chemistry; they are a very recognisable group of friends in a sadly relatable situation. Merivale deserves special mention for her fantastic performance as ‘sexless punchbag for Ofsted’ Liz, a primary school teacher who just wants to let go.

Sixth formers Stacey (Corns) and Harri (Garratt) are the focus of Category: Teen. Stacey has a boyfriend, Luke (Westgate), whose obsession with porn means he’s always up for sex. Which is great… except it’s only him that enjoys it. Harri wants a girlfriend, but is too shy to approach her crush. She could try and get sexual fulfilment through lesbian porn. Which would be great… except it seems that it isn’t actually for lesbians. The two friends must navigate these problems together – but how? This is by far the most complex and intriguing piece from FFS! Not only does it show pornography’s effects on young women, it also examines its impact on male behaviour and self-esteem. The sensitive acting of the ensemble is particularly striking. They carefully balance the light and serious moments, leading to a satisfying and heart-warming conclusion.

All three pieces are written with wit, nuance and understanding by Claire Rammelkemp, with Holly Bond as co-writer for The Night. The ensemble bring their words to life brilliantly, making the debates feel real and relevant. As a production it is a little clunky: set changes take quite a long time, and the use of large tables and chairs seems a little impractical. This does pay off for The Night, however, which set in a bathroom full of little details and surprises.

FFS! is the perfect response to female frustration: speak up, share your stories and, most importantly, find the humour in everything. Claire Rammelkemp was right. Feminists are hilarious.

 

Reviewed by Harriet Corke

Photography by Bethany Blake

 


FFS! (A Feminist Fable Series)

The Space until 9th March

 

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:
Fleeced | ★ | September 2018
Little Pieces of Gold | ★★★★★ | October 2018
Love is a Work In Progress | ★★★★ | October 2018
The Full Bronte | ★★★ | October 2018
Woman of the Year | ★★★ | October 2018
Little Women | ★★★½ | December 2018
Brawn | ★★★ | January 2019
Laundry | ★★★ | January 2019
The Dip | ★★★★ | February 2019
The South Afreakins | ★★★★★ | February 2019

 

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I Will Still be Whole (When You Rip me in Half)
★★★½

VAULT Festival

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I Will Still be Whole (When You Rip me in Half)

 

I Will Still be Whole (When You Rip me in Half)

The Vaults

Reviewed – 27th February 2019

★★★½

 

“It is a shame that this show does not quite reach its full potential. Nonetheless, its moving dialogue and authentic voice make it easy to watch”

 

Joy watches her baby daughter sleeping. The baby opens her eyes, looks up at her mother, and smiles. With one swift motion, Joy turns and leaves the house, leaves her old life, leaves her child’s life. She will disappear for twenty years.

Today is the day. EJ will look into her mother’s eyes for the first time in over two decades. But what will she see? Will there be a reconciliation, or will the past create a barrier between them?

Ava Wong Davies’ examination of the fractured relationship between mother and daughter is intertwined with political and social commentary and executed with poetic flair. Her writing is detailed, yet restrained: it invites intrigue, but holds just enough back to keep us guessing. Whilst tackling the mother-daughter relationship, she simultaneously makes subtle commentary on identity and its instability. Although EJ seems confident, her idealisation of the white woman she met on a night out suggests that she less self-assured than we imagined. In one particularly striking scene, Joy recalls her attempts to erase all traces of foreignness. She stops cooking Chinese food for her colleagues. She practises her British accent in front of the mirror. It pays off: when people hear her clipped, unaccented voice, they smile, treat her differently.

Wong Davies’ writing is beautiful and moving, but I couldn’t help wishing that the promised discussion of ‘inherited trauma and the essential violence of whiteness’ has been more front and centre. The Pit, a small and intimate venue in the Vaults Theatre, is the ideal place to confront these issues close up. Perhaps it was director Helen Morley’s efforts to maintain pace, or the invasiveness of Amanda Fleming’s music, but it felt as though important moments evaporated too quickly.

This is unfortunate, because the production as a whole is well executed. Kailing Fu’s Joy is elusive without being too distant. Her direct honesty and deadpan wit make Joy likeable, whilst maintaining the self-imposed barrier that she has chosen to hide behind. EJ (Rosa Escoda) comes to life vividly; her uncensored authenticity make her accessible to the audience, a perfect contrast to Joy. The physical separation of the two is marked by a line of objects – shoes, a bottle of water, a bowl of oranges – that is gradually broken down as the play reaches its climax. The design is effective without feeling too contrived, and is an efficient use of the small, slightly cramped stage.

It is a shame that this show does not quite reach its full potential. Nonetheless, its moving dialogue and authentic voice make it easy to watch. My advice: take some time to sit and think about what you have just seen, it will impress the more you reflect.

 

Reviewed by Harriet Corke

 

Vault Festival 2019

I Will Still be Whole (When You Rip me in Half)

Part of VAULT Festival 2019

 

 

 

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