“overall this is a cohesive, intelligent and exciting production”
The play begins in darkness, because, as our audio describer notes, this will be some people’s experience of the whole show. In a disconcertingly plausible dystopia, the world is divided into people deemed as functioning and non-functioning. Non-functioning people don’t have access to education or healthcare. Functioning people can be denied the support they need. When Libby is given a new robot device called ‘Libby’s Eyes’ to assist her with her sight, the device quickly begins to take on a mind of its own.
Written by Amy Bethan Evans, this is a play about living with a visual impairment, the government’s attitude towards disabilities, and sentient technology. It is also about human relationships, family, and personal autonomy as everyone tries to send Libby’s life in a certain direction. The cast are all strong, both as individuals and in the lovely ensemble scene change moments that document Libby’s journeys to and from work, funny and well-observed snippets of conversation floating around her. Holly Joyce as Ali has some particularly lovely moments, warm and moving in her portrayal of Libby’s mum. Louise Kempton’s audio describer is also wonderfully witty, gradually subsuming the role of the narrator, commenting and interjecting as the play progresses, paralleling Libby’s own device’s trajectory from robot to sentient object. This is a very clever play with constant parallels being drawn between the ideas of functionality and ableism. Georgie Morrell plays the central role of Libby, and she delivers it with an infectious playfulness and determination.
Some moments are a little clumsy, and a more slick performance would push this piece to the next level, but overall this is a cohesive, intelligent and exciting production. The play strikes a wonderful balance between entertaining its audience, clever, playful and moving, whilst still raising awareness about the way that society and political institutions respond to disability.
“This play has a dark undercurrent and tackles serious topics, but it does not take itself too seriously”
‘Conquest’, the debut play from new company PearShaped Theatre, is an honest and comedic tale about sexual consent, power dynamics and modern-day feminism. The play centres on the characters Jo and Alice who, after a chance meeting at a pharmacy, develop a relationship that sees them go from sharing accounts of unpleasant sexual experiences, to exacting revenge on sexually destructive men through some rather unusual cupcakes.
The new company, formed by Jess Daniels, Katie Caden and Rachel Smith (Director, Writer and Producer respectively) is focused on creating female-led theatre, with a twist on traditional forms of storytelling. Indeed, the play does not shy away from being a response to the current climate of abuse and gender inequality, and this play has a strong female voice. This voice, however, is not overly-polemic. Instead it is sharp, witty, at times self-deprecating and shamelessly honest. Katie Caden’s script is a gift to the actors, who are able to articulate the play’s significant themes through natural dialogue that reveals so much about the characters, who are played brilliantly by Colette Eaton and Lucy Walker-Evans.
There is a clear connection and chemistry between the two performers, who also display some excellent multi-rolling skills, especially in the frantic feminist meeting room scenes. Walker-Evans in particular brings a nervous energy that fits perfectly with her character’s uncertainty at how best to channel her frustrations. The play lives in uncertainty, be it when the girls become uncertain as to whether their protests are effective, or when the protagonists act in ways that make the audience uncertain whether they are victims, or a destructive force. All of these exciting parts are expertly woven together by Jess Daniels, whose direction has formed a show that is clean and crisp, but also charged with life and excitement for the audience.
This play has been marketed as ‘Fight Club meets Calendar Girls’, and while it may not have the intensity of the David Fincher film, this is a fun and apt description. This play has a dark undercurrent and tackles serious topics, but it does not take itself too seriously. If you’re interested in new, female-led theatre then this is a great show to see. If you are not, it’s still definitely worth a watch. Get yourself down to the Bunker’s underground theatre for this fun and fearless female story.
