“her unique monologues about a variety of women were conveyed brilliantly and were all very intriguing”
‘Mouths in a Glass’ is a quirky one-woman show, written and performed by the incredibly talented Sophie Dora-Hall. Her unique monologues about a variety of women were conveyed brilliantly and were all very intriguing. My favourite throughout the night was her portrayal of a very restless and anxious housewife, who soon regrets asking her neighbours to come round for a spot of home-made hummus. This was very amusing as Dora-Hall had created this character to be stuck in the wrong era; a 1960s style housewife trapped in the 21st century. I was impressed by not only how she delivered the monologue, but how she had created such a clever idea.
Another monologue I very much enjoyed was ‘A Doll’s Life,’ where she adopts the role of being a doll, one that would often be dragged and pulled around by her owner Jodie. Sitting very still with stickers on her face and lipstick smudged around her lips, it was obvious that this doll was fed up with the way her owner was treating her. At times, this monologue reminded me of Stewie Griffin from Family Guy, a small baby with a very posh and sophisticated accent, who is not afraid to speak his mind. Much like Stewie, this doll was also very outspoken and revealed how much she hated going to the “devils playground”. However, what really made me laugh out loud, was when she described how her friend “tiny bloody Tim,” had recently been bought from Oxfam and how his willy had been chewed off. Hilarious and a real crowd-pleaser.
I found the use of a minimalistic set particularly effective. Only having a chair, a table and a clothing rack, allowed myself and the other audience members to appreciate Sophie Dora-Hall’s natural talent, without getting distracted by other factors.
Engaging and enjoyable, Sophie Dora-Hall delivered a high standard performance. She is a very funny, talented and versatile young actress, and I believe she has a bright future ahead of her.
