(4 / 5)
Everyone in some point of their life has had an obsession. Whether with a thing or a person. But what happens when it becomes all consuming?
Harriet Richardson by trade is a performance artist. This is her first approach at comedy and boy is it a good one. Mostly autobiographical, Richardson delivers her story of becoming involved with a TV star and the subsequent obsession with him when he is suddenly taken away from her. But while the story is real, there’s a fantastic undercurrent of comedy to the truth.
Richardson is entirely herself. This is a performance but also we feel a little like we’re being told a tale with a girl friend over a glass of wine. She is unashamed, fearless and willing to really break boundaries. And what’s brilliant is this is all the truth – she has brought a true tale to us and so the comedy around it is not just delivered in a perfectly timed and comical way but is funny because it’s true.
Her piece is supported by a power point behind with images. This comes in actual pictures, screenshots from social media or texts and adding this gives a really good level to the production where it makes it theatrical and a show, not just that chat with our friend about her wild life.
Her delivery of the story is so well thought out. There is enough of a under narrative regarding this obsession but she then has these nuggets of additional stories – therapy that is supported by a performative photography piece where she isn’t afraid to show her at her worst or trying to do couch to 5k but ending up making friends with a priest. She is confident, engaging and fearless, willing to do anything for performance art and now comedy but also with being fully honest with us. She admits things that we’re told to be quiet about or is too taboo. We either want to be her, be her friend or see ourselves in her, feeling vindicated.
Harriet Richardson: Creep is what every person is too afraid to admit, is a brilliant piece of durational performance art based on truth and with the natural comedy that you couldn’t write. What makes it even more fantastic is how well presented it is by Richardson, with brilliant comic timing and just like a gossip session over a bottle of wine with your friend.
