(No) Leaves on my Precious Self

King’s Head Theatre

Reviewed – 9th October 2018

★★

“we are left disillusioned with the acting industry due to both the message of the piece and Fabray’s performance.”

Starting an acting career familiarly as the “third tree from the left”, Kate Fabray candidly depicts the expectation, self-doubt and rejection experienced by an emerging actor pursuing a lifelong dream. Through a combination of music, monologue and physical theatre, Fabray gives the audience a day-in-the-life whistle stop tour of the trials and tribulations of the acting world with sincerity and occasional humour.

The piece has a promising start with a striking dance that introduces the play’s motif of beauty and self-presentation. The contrasting physical struggle that follows and reappears throughout, encapsulates the accompanying mental strain of maintaining a sense of self-worth and defiance. Movement and dance appear to be Fabray’s strong suit and most comfortable forte and this is used effectively to transition between scenes and to drive the play forward.

Musical songs, ‘Maybe This Time’ and ‘There are Worse Things I could Do’, are heartfelt and offer moments of connection with the audience but miss the mark due to Fabray’s weak vocals. Many songs are off-pitch for their entirety, yet song forms a large part of this piece. This comes across as a lost opportunity to explore dance and physical theatre further, which would also enrich occasional drawn-out monologues. The saviour of this piece is Fabray’s writing skill. Her poetic description of the tree which symbolises her growth as an actor, is poignant and demonstrates an exciting capability that is not fully realised in the delivery.

The tirelessness of auditioning also translates to the audience although this dangerously drifts towards a rant. Witty moments in the piece, and instances where Fabray breaks the fourth wall to address the audience as fellow auditionees, really shine but certainly leave them desiring more. Performed slicker and wittier, the audition scenes would really pack a punch.

Fabray describes the act of putting her self-esteem in the hands of strangers in auditions. As audience members we somewhat add to the “vicious cycle of uncertainty” however it is unclear whether this irony is intentional. Lacking self-enhancing humour, she risks leaving us with a sense of culpability and forges an inconsistent connection.

The triumphant self-empowerment that concludes (No) Leaves on my Precious Self is slightly outweighed by the sense of defeat throughout. With further development, it could be extremely affecting and could reinstil the “magical power of performing arts” that Fabray repeatedly refers to. Unfortunately, we are left disillusioned with the acting industry due to both the message of the piece and Fabray’s performance.

Reviewed by Beth Partington

(No) Leaves on my Precious Self

King’s Head Theatre until 13th October

Previously reviewed at this venue:

Catherine and Anita | ★★★★ | February 2018

The Mikado | ★★★★★ | March 2018

Tumble Tuck | ★★★★ | April 2018

The Unbuilt City | ★★★ | June 2018

For Reasons That Remain Unclear | ★★ | July 2018

Glitterball | ★★★★★ | July 2018

The Cluedo Club Killings | ★★★ | July 2018

And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens | ★★★★ | August 2018

Hamilton (Lewis) | ★★★ | September 2018

La Traviata | ★★★★ | October 2018

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★★

“has the potential to be hugely relatable, poignant and empowering”

From the moment she was a tree in the school play, Kate Fabray knew that she wanted to perform, to recreate this “God-like, uncrushable tree feeling”, to inhabit again and again “the magical state of becoming someone else.” But this is not an easy industry and this performance unpacks its trials, its unforgiving nature and its impact on Fabray’s own sense of self-worth through dance, musical theatre and monologue.

The piece is beautifully written, the language frequently verging on poetic, and many important and valid comments are made regarding an industry that is so frequently glamourised unrealistically by the media. This is Fabray’s playwriting debut and her writing talent is clear and unquestionable, her use of language delicate, tender and playful.

The final realisation, that in fact it is all worth it, is accompanied by a narrative of self-empowerment and a resolution to no longer put her self worth into the hands of others. Certainly an admirable ethos to end on and more time spent exploring this would ensure that the piece is more balanced. In its current form it risks coming across as a bit of a pity demanding rant. A more balanced approach would ensure that Fabray’s discussion of the industry translates as well as it deserves to, because it certainly has the potential to be hugely relatable, poignant and empowering.

One of Fabray’s main complaints about the industry, is that this is not an industry where talent or hard work is any guarantee of success. Luck and nepotism famously play huge parts. Unfortunately, this point is somewhat undermined by her own inability. She is vocally weak, frequently out of tune and vehemently overacting, gesturing to the sky with arms wide at multiple points. Her dancing and her acting are stronger than her singing, but ultimately the strength of this piece lies in its writing rather than its performance.

This is a beautiful piece of writing that certainly makes some valid points about the industry but the weakness of its execution undermines much of the piece’s substance.

Reviewed by Amelia Brown

(No) Leaves on my Precious Self

King’s Head Theatre

Reviewed – 9th October 2018

★★

“we are left disillusioned with the acting industry due to both the message of the piece and Fabray’s performance.”

Reviewed by Beth Partington

(No) Leaves on my Precious Self

King’s Head Theatre until 13th October

Previously reviewed at this venue:

(No) Leaves On My Precious Self

Drayton Arms Theatre

Reviewed – 1st July 2018

★★

“has the potential to be hugely relatable, poignant and empowering”

This is a beautiful piece of writing that certainly makes some valid points about the industry but the weakness of its execution undermines much of the piece’s substance.

Reviewed by Amelia Brown

(No) Leaves On My Precious Self

Drayton Arms Theatre

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Previously reviewed at this venue