Phil Matejtschuk Archives - thespyinthestalls.com

Blue Tights, Red Knickers and an ‘S’ on her Vest

Lion and Unicorn Theatre

Reviewed – 14th August 2019

★★★

“the tone is charmingly undramatic, somewhere between a ‘my rubbish life’ comic monologue and self-deprecating lifestyle piece in a colour supplement”

Microaggressions at work, the indignities of commuting, the strain on relationships caused by overwork… these experiences speak to millions. In this production, they speak directly to Jenna, alone on stage while others in her life are represented by disembodied voices. It’s an elegant way to portray social anxiety as a world inside the head that alienates even those who try to help. The homemade superwoman costume Jenna wears signals her as the people pleaser, taking on piles of paperwork from idle colleagues while working late to fulfil her own stressful function as a legal representative.

This everyday story is low key and familiar, something of an attractive change for a Camden Fringe show. A victim of mildly disappointing annual reviews and far from horrific workplace bullying incidents, Jenna bemoans the lack of pastoral care from the firm but also dreads the camping break they organise as a bonding exercise. She resents the loss of support from best friend David as he moves away but is wary nevertheless when he tries to stay in touch, and although she groans at her mother’s calls, it’s her mother who worries enough to pay for her endless therapy sessions.

It’s an interesting conundrum, figuring out how to respond sympathetically to someone so relatively fortunate without falling into the same trap as her work colleagues. It’s easy for the insensitive or inexperienced to dismiss depression and anxiety disorders with ‘get a grip’ and ‘cheer up’, yet it’s not clear from Jenna’s description that she is suffering from either of these serious mental health problems, as opposed to the stress of working in an unhealthy culture.

Thematic Theatre is co-founded by the play’s writer and main performer, Laura Shoebottom, along with Liam Ashmead, who both directs the piece and voices the role of David. Created expressly to stage productions with important themes, they tackle here the subject of mental health, but in their own misdiagnosis of anxiety as something that can be cured by changing jobs or being more assertive – in other words, by getting a grip – they threaten to undermine their message and mission should anyone examine them too closely.

However, the tone is charmingly undramatic, somewhere between a ‘my rubbish life’ comic monologue and self-deprecating lifestyle piece in a colour supplement. Laura Shoebottom writes and plays the central character with a drily knowing quality, while her self-confident presence is given excellent technical support from Chuma Emembolu, Daniel Foggo and Phil Matejtschuk in the sound design and lighting departments. For a city-living audience the time passes pleasantly, affirming that their bad work experiences are common and that if you do occasionally feel isolated, you’re not alone.

Reviewed by Dominic Gettins

Photography courtesy Thematic Theatre

Blue Tights, Red Knickers and an ‘S’ on her Vest

Lion and Unicorn Theatre until 16th August as part of Camden Fringe 2019

Previously reviewed at this venue:

In the Wake of | ★★★ | August 2018

The German Girls | ★★★ | August 2018

BackPAGE | ★★½ | February 2019

Like You Hate Me | ★★★ | April 2019

Mama G’s Story Time Roadshow | ★★★★★ | May 2019

River In The Sky | ★★½ | May 2019

The Death Of Ivan Ilyich | ★★ | August 2019

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★★★

“delivers on festive cheer and wholesome family entertainment”

Upon arrival, the corridor to the theatre is packed with an expectant audience, all of adult size barring one. Nonetheless there is a feeling of festive excitement. It seems no matter how suited up and cynical we become, everybody wants a little bit of magic this time of year, and a Christmas Cinderella show seems just the ticket.

Four of the five cast members begin as puppeteers for paper birds and an infant Ella, whilst Bryan Pilkington plays a benevolent and charming father. We’re introduced to Ella first as a crying bundle in a basket, then as a marionette; a clever bit of prop use sees a pair of empty boots being puppeteered about to portray Ella’s adolescence, and finally we are introduced to Molly Byrne as the fully-grown Ella.

Her father’s death is announced by the arrival of step-siblings played by Aimee Louise Bevan and Joel Black, wearing private school uniforms and punishing scowls. Bryan Pilkington transforms effortlessly on stage from kindly father to evil step-mother as he dons a haughty countenance, house coat and matching snood.

The general plot plays out as we expect, with Ella flung in to the role of lowly servant Cinderella, generally being tormented by her new and nasty family. She of course retains a twinkle in her eye and, whilst playing in the forest, she encounters the prince, as played by Charlie Bateman. Here the two bond over a shared avian passion, and Cinderella impresses with her great knowledge of bird calls rather than an innate delicacy and ladylikeness as the classic fairytale would have it, whilst Bateman’s prince is all limbs and enthusiasm, over the sullen and rebellious heir we have come to expect. Instead of glass slippers we have studded Dr. Martens, and instead of the dreaded panto audience participation, we have a pleasantly awkward chat with the prince, trying out his party banter. Most pleasing of all the production choices, though, is Ella’s stepbrother who, rather than conforming to the two-dimensional spoilt brat trope, shows some character nuance, developing a kinship with Ella and gaining her trust as a confidante. Black plays both nasty and nice equally convincingly, and though he’s let down a little by his singing, he pulls off the part very well.

Whilst it’s near impossible to avoid the syrupy sweetness of the Cinderella fairytale, the slightly bloody ending smacks a little of Roald Dahl’s take on proceedings rather than Walt Disney’s, and we enjoy a fairly ominous minor pastiche of ‘The Birds’ in serving the evil step-mother her just deserts.

Well-timed lighting and sound give the illusion of a much grander set-up than a fifty-seat pub theatre, and on the whole, the production does a lot with a little. There are some ropey vocals, and at times there’s a bit too much acting considering the intimacy of the auditorium, nonetheless, the Jack Studio Theatre delivers on festive cheer and wholesome family entertainment.

Reviewed by Miriam Sallon