Harriet Corke Archives - Page 5 of 18

Women on the Edge

Etcetera Theatre

Reviewed – 14th August 2019

★★★

“With more polish and some changes to the overall production, Women on the Edge could have its potential pushed to new heights”

‘April,’ T. S. Eliot once claimed, ‘is the cruellest month.’ He’s right, April sucks. But, for London theatre lovers, the cruellest month is August. Not only is it too hot/too cold/too sunny/too rainy (delete as applicable), but everyone’s gone to Edinburgh and they won’t stop tweeting about it. Should I shirk all responsibility and hop on the train now?

No. Just go to the Camden Fringe.

Women on the Edge, my first outing to this year’s Fringe, is a strong showcase for the talent of its writer and performer. In a fast-paced fifty minutes, Juliana Lisk tells three stories of women attempting to claw their way back from breaking point. “Broken Biscuits” explores the reality of growing up poor, spending Christmas without presents or a tree, and enjoying broken biscuits as a treat. Now, having experienced the charity of others, the protagonist wants to make a difference. “0800 Drink” shifts the tone entirely as Lisk portrays a teleshopping presenter on the 2 am shift, gradually disintegrating as she attempts to promote a retreat for responsible binge drinking. Finally, in “Toy Storey”, Lisk evokes the horror of Christmas in the toy department as the assistant assistant manager attempts to control the rogue activities of her boss – not to mention the baying crowd.

Lisk is an engaging performer, provoking sympathy for her characters and laughter at their flaws. Her writing is also strong: “Broken Biscuits” has an earnest emotional core, whilst “0800 Drink” is a great piece of irreverent fun. However, there are steps that could be taken to bring out their strengths more. “Broken Biscuits” is without doubt the strongest of the three pieces, and the most tonally unique. Having Lisk perform this first means that the show hits its high too early on, which is something that the other two cannot compensate for. Unfortunately the closing piece is the weakest of the three, meaning our final glimpse of Lisk is not reflective of her best work. Considering that she does all the resetting herself, having preset areas for each monologue is a good idea: but it would be nice to see them not confined to these set places. It might have been particularly useful for her to have more free rein over the stage, especially during “Toy Storey”, so that the high stakes could be more obvious.

The Camden Fringe is an opportunity for theatre makers to showcase their skills, and Lisk definitely does here. With more polish and some changes to the overall production, Women on the Edge could have its potential pushed to new heights.

Reviewed by Harriet Corke

Women on the Edge

Etcetera Theatre until 15th August as part of Camden Fringe 2019

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

Jailbirds | ★★ | December 2018

The Very Well-Fed Caterpillar | ★★★★ | December 2018

Bricks of the Wall | ★ | January 2019

Past Perfect | ★★★★ | July 2019

The Parentheticals: Improdyssey | ★★★★ | August 2019

Click here to see more of our latest reviews on thespyinthestalls.com

★★★★

“tackles its theme with skilful insight and a refreshing amount of nuance”

In an age of uncertainty, the only thing we can be sure of is ourselves. Maybe it’s youthful arrogance, but college freshmen Tom and Amber seem very sure of themselves. His passion is music; her path is writing. He knows that she likes him; she is mildly obsessed with him. She’s sure that he raped her; he’s sure that he didn’t.

Actually is a story that is rich with ideas that are explored efficiently and empathetically. Anna Ziegler uses her ninety minutes wisely, examining her themes and protagonists with equal focus. Ziegler gives us a rich sense of who her characters are, providing details and anecdotes that prevent them from becoming archetypes of perpetrator and victim. Amber Cohen is Jewish, a college professor’s daughter and naïve idealist who battles to keep her rampant insecurity at bay. Tom Anthony was the only African-American student at his high school. He is somewhat cocky and something of a ladies’ man, but is nonetheless a loner who is uncomfortable in his own skin.

It is through these two contrasting yet strangely connected characters that Ziegler seeks to complicate the issue of sexual assault. Is Amber reporting this because she feels genuinely violated, or because her friends told her to? Is she really questioning her privilege, or devaluing her feelings? Can Tom’s personal struggles be considered a valid explanation for his behaviour? But, then again, what did he actually do? Yasmin Paige and Simon Manyonda ensure that we can sympathise with Amber and Tom even at their worst moments. Both portray a sense of vulnerability that makes the audience realise how out of their depth they truly are. Both are highly engaging and excel in high stakes moments, but sometimes struggle to nail Ziegler’s sly injections of humour.

As a production, it is sleek and simple. Appropriately, the stage is a grey area; the back wall is cracked open slightly, reemphasising the invasive nature of the hearing they have to face. A clever piece of design right at the last second ends the show on a satisfying note, adding poignancy to an already emotionally wrought piece.

Actually tackles its theme with skilful insight and a refreshing amount of nuance. Its resolution – or, rather, its lack of resolution – makes the show feel complete: not as a piece of storytelling, but as a realistic depiction of sexual assault cases, their complexities, and the ongoing struggle to understand the experiences, not only of others, but of ourselves.

Reviewed by Harriet Corke

Photography by Lidia Crisafulli

Etcetera Theatre

Reviewed – 14th August 2019

★★★

“With more polish and some changes to the overall production, Women on the Edge could have its potential pushed to new heights”

No. Just go to the Camden Fringe.

The Camden Fringe is an opportunity for theatre makers to showcase their skills, and Lisk definitely does here. With more polish and some changes to the overall production, Women on the Edge could have its potential pushed to new heights.

Reviewed by Harriet Corke

Women on the Edge

Etcetera Theatre until 15th August as part of Camden Fringe 2019

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

Trafalgar Studios

Reviewed – 12th August 2019

★★★★

“tackles its theme with skilful insight and a refreshing amount of nuance”

Reviewed by Harriet Corke

Photography by Lidia Crisafulli

Actually

Trafalgar Studios until 31st August

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue: