Going into this production, I didn’t think I would be witnessing something so deep. Who thought Spam would evoke such political discourse and commentary on colonialism. Sierra Sevilla combines this and more to bring us this deep and intimate one woman show.

For The Love of Spam tells Sevilla’s personal story, of growing up in Gwam, living in the USA and moving to the UK, where her home comfort was … Spam. Spam has a warm place in her heart, of childhood and home life and of her origin, and a reminder of simpler times. She reminisces fondly on her past, with slightly darker jokes regarding wishing for natural disasters because it meant no electricity and therefore a dinner of spam. But there is sadness and there is negativity, from other cultures where they turn their nose down at the canned meat throughout her life, in a way, hurting not just the spam, but her.

As we continue, we are driven into a much more political conversation, highlighting elements between Gwam and the USA, which I, embarrassingly, had no idea about. From a bouncing, bubbly and jokey performance, it suddenly becomes dark and we are asked to reevaluate our lives and what is important. Sevilla does well to lull us, through dancing, high energy and puppetry to reach this point. This way, it becomes a unexpected plot twist – using imagey projected, she gut punches us with this realisation. Ending the show, we are in a contemplative position, through a nuclear countdown, as we are asked to question what we would do in our final moments. It is deep and sometimes a bit awkward, as Sevilla makes her favourite dish on stage.

While being brought into comfort to only be brought out of it worked really well, I do wonder whether this was a point for a more shocking ending; while the silence and contemplative finish was unique, it potentially petered a little. There was invitation to join on stage but this was signposted to only one and, while the essence was to bring us intimately in, it felt slightly selective and voyeuristic. I do wonder whether there was a point where we could have all joined and been more a part of these final moments.

For The Love Of Spam was an unexpected and interesting production; intimate and funny, the political and social commentary was equally alive and proved educational as well as entertaining.