Tag Archives: Hattie North

BITTER LEMONS

★★★½

Park Theatre

Reviews, , , , , , , , ,

BITTER LEMONS at Park Theatre

★★★½

“The imagery is striking evoked and passionately told”

Bitter Lemons follows two women’s intertwining narratives as they ready themselves for a vital moment in their careers, and a big personal decision.

After a successful run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023, the show has revived the same team for a London run. It bills itself as an issue play, centring around one moment in these women’s lives, but in many ways that detracts from the message of the piece.

We follow two women – Angelina (Shannon Hayes) and AJ (Chanel Waddock). AJ is a professional goalie and the ‘tart of the team’. Meanwhile Angelina is firmly implanted in the corporate world, having to prove to colleagues, clients and her own boyfriend that she is more than a diversity hire. The stories are superficially different, but connect and intersect throughout.

Writer and director Lucy Hayes’ script blends theatre and prose poetry. The imagery is striking evoked and passionately told. It is at its best when it weaves between the stories, allowing the characters to fly in quick fire entangled prose. But it also has a distancing effect, at times keeping the audience at arm’s length.

The script and performance is at the core of this piece, but Hayes’ direction allows these two aspects centre stage. Some muddied physical theatre does little to add to the atmosphere, but the staging is thoughtful, especially given the parallel narratives.

Chanel Waddock has a powerful physicality, blending comedy and poignancy while retaining a grounded stage presence. Shannon Hayes has excellent comic timing and a strong connection with the audience.

Hattie North’s sound design is throbbingly atmospheric. Creating both internal and external worlds through sound she gives the piece an urgent and purposeful pulse.

The set (Roisin Martindale) which has changed slightly from the Finge, is baffling until the final scene. For me, it wasn’t worth it for the reveal, but with a plastic backdrop curtain, blue Lino flooring and mirrored blocks it has a simple but clean feeling.

The show is quite busy. A lot of ideas are thrown around, and the women’s lives feel at times used to tick boxes of on trend messaging. There are some powerful moments but a lot of the ideas and commentary feels a little familiar. Splitting the narrative makes both stories feel a little undercooked and simplistic, with the characters feeling less well developed than they otherwise could have.

 


BITTER LEMONS at Park Theatre

Reviewed on 30th August 2024

by Auriol Reddaway

Photography by Alex Brenner

 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

WHEN IT HAPPENS TO YOU | ★★★★★ | August 2024
THE MARILYN CONSPIRACY | ★★★★ | June 2024
IVO GRAHAM: CAROUSEL | ★★★★ | June 2024
A SINGLE MAN | ★★★★ | May 2024
SUN BEAR | ★★★ | April 2024
HIDE AND SEEK | ★★★★ | March 2024
COWBOYS AND LESBIANS | ★★★★ | February 2024
HIR | ★★★★ | February 2024
LEAVES OF GLASS | ★★★★ | January 2024
KIM’S CONVENIENCE | ★★★★ | January 2024

BITTER LEMONS

BITTER LEMONS

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CRYING SHAME

★★★★★

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

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CRYING SHAME at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

★★★★★

“a masterclass in creativity and playfulness”

Crying Shame is a masterpiece of heartfelt and fun-filled cabaret, made perfectly for all of Edinburgh’s lonely hearts. Exploring what it means to be lonely, how to cure it, and how to identify it, this show leaves no theatrical stone unturned as it dismantles itself (and us) before our very eyes.

Excited (and self-admittedly pathetic) clowns join the audience in the queue before beckoning us into the theatre space at Pleasance Dome; dressed beautifully in bright stage curtains and lit magically (set design Shahaf Beer, lighting John Chan). The sparkle and crookedness of the costuming is sublime and immediately sets the tone for the performers to indulge in their eccentricity and self-pity. The spill of unpolished makeup and odd angular costumes (also Shahaf Beer) add a certain je ne sais quoi to the brilliance of the piece.

The verbatim and lip-syncing are utterly breath-taking and intricately choreographed, as are the stylised and disjointed dancing interludes. Hilarious and beautiful, the voices of audience members, celebrities, and the public have their piece on the matter of feeling not worth it. Crying Shame is a masterclass in creativity and playfulness. It doesn’t shy from blending the silly and the touching into one big brilliant messy extravaganza. Crying Shame is unafraid to get up, close, and personal. Emphasis on the close. The production and delivery are faultless, and the detail of the show’s message and vision shine. Who knew sock puppets with googly eyes could be so moving?

Through an hour of high-paced and high-octane cabaret, songs, tap-dance, mime, and dance are used to empower the audience to love themselves and tackle their own (and each other’s loneliness) head on. In increasingly creative ways, Crying Shame brings an empowering and relatable message about being lonely that is like nothing you will ever see. As actors (Conor Dumbrell, Jordan Barton, Rachel Hunter and Nkara Stephenson) take the audience on a wellness journey simply like no other, they are pulled into a glorious tornado of camp and careful consideration for emotional sucker punches. As the structure of the cabaret collapses, as does the set – creating chilling tableaus of ghost like clowning and allowing the unhinged MC to let out their “frustration” on their own isolation.

Each clown has their moment to shine, as well as their own personal reflective moments which reduce the room to complete silence. Their performances powerfully dazzle with musical and theatrical talent – with stunning tap-dancing and soulful singing. As the piece twists and contorts, the audience is met with well-earned tear-jerkingly honest exchanges. From start to finish, Crying Shame will have your eyes watering for all the right reasons. Without a doubt, missing out on this fantastically thoughtful performance is something to cry about this Fringe.

 


CRYING SHAME at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – Pleasance Dome – King Dome

Reviewed on 21st August 2024

by Molly Knox

Photography by Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom

 

 


CRYING SHAME

CRYING SHAME

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