★★★★★

“inclusive theatre at its finest, it is warm and funny as well as being shocking and moving”

Jenny Sealey bursts onto stage with frankness and with warmth in this one-woman autobiographical show.

Sealey is deaf, and much of the show explores her experiences growing up in a hearing world. Certainly, the crafting of the show, which uses on screen sur titles and weaves in Jeni Draper, Sealey’s ‘terp’ (on stage interpreter) is consciously, and beautifully inclusive. However, to view the play as purely about deafness would be to box it in, and ignore the poignant and gripping family drama which Sealey unfolds.

Sealey, along with co-writer Mike Kenny and director Lee Lyford create an on-stage world which feels comforting, honest and genuine. Some of this comes from Sealey herself, who is charismatic and witty. Everyone in the audience wants to be her friend. But there are also more technical elements. It is nothing new to see an on-stage interpreter, but the way she is used in this production feels fresh and unusual. She is introduced and included in the show, her role falling somewhere between interpreter and performer. This gives Sealey a support on stage which makes her not seem so alone. This adds to the kind and safe space and allows the audience to enjoy the darker moments of the story, without fearing for the wellbeing of the performer.

Something which also builds up this very special world is that the captioning and video design is by Jonah Sealey Braverman, Jenny Sealey’s son. He is very much a part of the story, and his voice appears in voiceover throughout the play. This laid much of the creative process bare, bringing the audience along the journey with the team, and this transparent nature makes Sealey and her story even more personable and engaging. She lets us behind the curtain, and treats us, too, like family.

The set is simple, three kitchen cupboards which light up, and a projector screen. The designer Anisha Fields and lighting designer Emma Chapman execute a playful vision, with the cupboards lighting up in bold different colours.

This is inclusive theatre at its finest, it is warm and funny as well as being shocking and moving. It never feels preachy or worthy and the audience is welcomed into Sealey’s tangled web of a family drama.

FLIP! at the Soho Theatre

★★★★

“Racheal Ofori’s script is tight, and feels fresh and current”

In a punchy and peppy two-woman show, Flip! explores the dark underbelly of online content creation.

Best friends Carleen (Leah St Luce) and Crystal (Jadesola Odunjo) host a trendy, talk show style podcast. But while Crystal has dreams of fame, and has few qualms with trying to get it, Carleen is not so sure. As the girls struggle to make traction with their channel, the controversial ‘Flip’, an instant-fame video content platform with murky AI terms and conditions, looks increasingly tempting. The story evolves into a slightly predictable cautionary tale which asks how far these women are willing to go to chase their notoriety, and what does that look like in this digital age.

Emily Aboud’s direction is energetic and fun. It feels a lot like an online video, with KJ’s bright pastel lighting design and Eliyana Evans’ boppy pop sound design complementing this aesthetic. The two actors dance, prance, and act out memes in consistently entertaining short sharp scenes. The messaging is a bit obvious, and combined with the cast multi-rolling and creating live soundscapes, it does occasionally veer towards the GCSE drama end of things. However, there are some brilliant touches – every swear word is bleeped, the ‘shots’ they drink are toy milk bottles, and the way they show the difference between AI generated content and reality is really smart.

Racheal Ofori’s script is tight, and feels fresh and current. Some of the characterisation is lacking a bit, but the jokes land and the story is simply and cleverly shown.

It’s the performances that really make this production pop. St Luce and Odunjo speak and move in synch, spill fast paced tea and seem to be having as much fun as the audience. Some of the more serious moments feel a bit forced, but the genuine joy balances it out beautifully.

The set and costume (Anna Robinson) are simple but effective, as the actors need no more than two stools and some drawers to bring this show to life.

While it might not be saying anything brand new, the commentary in this play feels relevant and on moment. The risks around AI content creation are very real, and questions about its future implementation and impact are crucial to ask. It’s fun, while making a troubling point about consent in the digital era.

SELF-RAISING at the Soho Theatre

★★★★★

“inclusive theatre at its finest, it is warm and funny as well as being shocking and moving”

SELF-RAISING at the Soho Theatre

Reviewed on 8th February 2024

by Auriol Reddaway

Photography by Tiu Makkonen

Previously reviewed at this venue:

SELF-RAISING

SELF-RAISING

FLIP! at the Soho Theatre

★★★★

“Racheal Ofori’s script is tight, and feels fresh and current”