Mimi Monteith Archives - Page 4 of 5

All Of Us Want Something To Get Over

Bread & Roses Theatre

Reviewed – 25th February 2020

★★★

“moments of brilliant direction by Reade saved the production from falling quite flat and gave humour to the unsubtle topic”

We Love Women presented an evening with three warm up acts and a short play, all delicately linked to womanhood and the idea that everybody has a personal tragedy that they cling to.

The set design, by Tamsin Robinson was inspired; walking into the Bread and Roses Theatre was like entering a fort from when you were five. The stage was covered floor to ceiling in different coloured bed sheets, creating a cosy and comforting atmosphere. This allowed us to feel as if we were in a safe space, whilst of course, alluding to the key genre of the show, sex.

Before the play, there were two warm up acts consisting of a monologue entitled ‘My First Time’ written by Phoebe Wood and performed by Ella Hooper and a burlesque performance by Belle De Beauvoir. Comedian Emilyrose Woods lead the introductions to each piece, separating them with brief moments of stand up about her own sexuality and experiences. Emilyrose Woods’ stand up was intimidating at first, as she called upon members of the audience and asked them about their sexuality. However, as she became comfortable in the space, she settled into her set and it flowed nicely.

Phoebe Wood’s ‘My First Time’ was elegantly portrayed by Ella Hooper, bringing to life the unbreakable relationship between mother and daughter and the moments that every woman goes through and shares, but might never say out aloud. Hooper slid between each character with ease, and finally, just before a moment of physical theatre, the bond was highlighted beautifully with the line ‘Is it weird that sometimes I want to be back in your womb?’

Belle De Beauvoir’s piece of Burlesque began extremely poignantly, referencing again the relationship between mother and daughter as Beauvoir held a leg to the line ‘Love your body like your mother loved your baby feet’ whilst removing a stocking. Beauvoir transitioned from this into traditional burlesque; the performance was brave, creating a nostalgic whilst also fun atmosphere, including the use of feathers and some impressive splits.

After both of these warm up acts, we were told by Emilyrose Woods that the play would commence. Written by Vogue Giambri and directed by Amy Reade, ‘All Of Us Want Something To Get Over’ is about a couple, Gert (Abbi Douetil) and Memphis (Alex Wingfield), both struggling with very different problems and trying to make their relationship work. The play was a bit of a disappointment following the warm up acts; the couple lacked chemistry and gave uneven performances, where Douetil yelled extensively in semi-clichés, whilst Wingfield over acted his hypochondria, to the point of seeming almost toddler-esq.

However, there were a few brilliant moments, a particular one stood out where the couple are allowing themselves to say what they think, but only whilst shoving popcorn down the other person’s mouth, this use of physical was amplified further as the couple stretch and blow into balloons to imply that they are having sex. These moments of brilliant direction by Reade saved the production from falling quite flat and gave humour to the unsubtle topic.

The play finished on a sentimental note which resonated; that people are scared to let go of the thing that is ‘wrong with them’ in the fear of what comes after this. When this moment came, it clearly linked each warm up act to the play itself, which had at first seemed a little disjointed, creating a calm and satisfying ending.

Reviewed by Mimi Monteith

All Of Us Want Something To Get Over

Bread & Roses Theatre until 29th February

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

The Incursion | ★★½ | July 2019

Coco’s Adventures | ★★★ | September 2019

Room Service | ★★★★★ | September 2019

The Bacchae | ★★★ | September 2019

Trial Of Love | ★★★½ | September 2019

By The Light Of The Moon | ★★★★ | October 2019

Smashing It! | ★★ | October 2019

The Gravy Bunch | ★★½ | October 2019

The Signalman | ★★★ | October 2019

Buzzing | ★★★★ | January 2020

Click here to see our most recent reviews

★★★½

“brave, and at times heartbreakingly raw”

Made From Love’s portrayal of the almost madness that a couple go through when they find themselves in a position of unplanned pregnancy is, at times, raw and honest. Matthew Coulton and Linn Johansson’s devised piece explores their journey in a shared stream of consciousness; they allow the audience in on their panic and although this sometimes came across as a little disjointed, there were flashes of true humanity which were awe-inspiring. With moments of physical theatre scattered between rap, voiceovers, ventriloquism and genuine moments of profound stillness and honesty, the play carries the audience through the couple’s whole process as they work their way through the decision of whether they should keep their baby or to have an abortion.

Coulton and Johansson shone in moments where they broke away from the hectic atmosphere that the play inherited. It was the times that they they stood still and spoke freely to one another that captured the true meaning of the piece, and this was done brilliantly. There was a real vulnerability in this stillness which was heart-breaking and showed a great deal of skill and commitment from the actors. This was mirrored in them remaining bare foot throughout the performance, suggesting further their vulnerability and connection to the earth and each other. Unfortunately, these moments were too few and far between and the contrast between these moments and the rest of the play was vast.

The pair try to do too much at once, without allowing the play to explore any angle that it tried to go down. Perhaps this was their intention; to show the nonsensical nature of thought when it comes to such an important decision, but this wasn’t made clear enough to be effective. The moments portraying madness were short and loud, including a shrieking wig in a Jerry Springer interpretation and an Artuadian-esque breaking of a biscuit into a microphone, acting as a potential metaphor for a miscarriage. These moments were, it seemed, intentionally harrowing and confusing, but with each moment of ‘madness’ Coulton and Johansson adopted a new technique, leaving the show feeling uneven and unfinished.

The set was minimalistic, with a doll’s house placed in the centre of the stage and two microphones. The doll’s house was used as a seat, a prop store and also, perhaps, a representation of how small and meaningless the material world is when you are faced with the creation of another life. If the latter was the intention, they did not allow this to develop or use the prop to its full potential, again, leaving the play feeling unfinished. There is a quite beautiful moment where the actors brought white balloons with a small light into them onto the stage. It was clear that there was thought behind this moment, but it was explained in a heavy metaphor that provoked intrigue, but didn’t make enough sense, or seem relevant to the show.

Made From Love is brave, and at times heartbreakingly raw, but it feels as if it has been put together without any clear narrative arc which left it feeling manic and unfinished.

Reviewed by Mimi Monteith

Bread & Roses Theatre

Reviewed – 25th February 2020

★★★

“moments of brilliant direction by Reade saved the production from falling quite flat and gave humour to the unsubtle topic”

We Love Women presented an evening with three warm up acts and a short play, all delicately linked to womanhood and the idea that everybody has a personal tragedy that they cling to.

Reviewed by Mimi Monteith

All Of Us Want Something To Get Over

Bread & Roses Theatre until 29th February

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

Camden People’s Theatre

Reviewed – 30th January 2020

★★★½

“brave, and at times heartbreakingly raw”

Made From Love is brave, and at times heartbreakingly raw, but it feels as if it has been put together without any clear narrative arc which left it feeling manic and unfinished.

Reviewed by Mimi Monteith

Made From Love

Camden People’s Theatre until 1st February

Previously reviewed at this venue: