(3 / 5)

The age old pressure and discussions have been forever on women and the expectation to have children. But this isn’t for everyone and yet, this is still taboo in the 21st century.

Stark Bollock Naked addresses the pressures of age, society, other’s commentary on women’s bodies and the expectation to reproduce. It takes a look at this, at the viability and different situations and noting that it’s okay to not want that life, even after you thought you did once.

We are firstly confronted with a naked lady in front of us. The silence ensues and it needs to be congratulated that the performance starts ensuring that audience is awkward and uncomfortable, to make sure they take on the tricky subject.

The actual silence and pausing throughout is very powerful and at times comical and let’s us digest the relationship between the audience and performers. When the action begins, a really interesting projection is created, shown on the performer’s body and with an essence of stereotypical outfits of women as she monologues her story. This felt quite 1927 and the more hyper-realistic performances they create and was a really unusual and unique theatrical trick.

The narrative is comical, stating the facts and also very bold. There are comments on this person’s story, that are comments we, as women, are told not to say or think or feel. Stark Bollock Naked is throwing these into the ether and with no apology.

For me, it felt quite mismatched with what the performance wanted to achieve. It was really intriguing, performed extremely well and with a great concept and approach, but it felt a little like they weren’t entirely sure whether it was a comedy, an emotional production, a touch of clowning or avant garde. There’s nothing wrong with combining these but jumping from one to the other didn’t seem to sit well.

Stark Bollock Naked is exactly the theatre we need, where the unspoken rules around women are unleashed. However, more work is needed to combine the genres they are trying to touch upon.

(3 / 5)

We’ve all heard the stereotype of Asian women, mail order brides and all that comes with this. It becomes a joke within plays, movies and our society. But does anyone really think about the person behind this and what they go through.

Unforgettable Girl brings this stereotype to the forefront – comical and satirical, she embodies the Asian bride which is sexual, engaging and self aware. We see and hear her story, from her home to the call that changes everything. She also brings on the attitude and approach from middle class white society and the unforgivable but “nicely” put racism. It is throwing these unsaid issues in our face with no apology.

There is use of multimedia throughout which gives different levels between the performance and creating a hyper-version of reality. The stage and props are mostly made out of “trash” and is referred to, giving the sense of the little these women are thought of. Some slight comparison, while subtle, is made to white blonde barbie dolls, while a creepy voice over sexualises the mail bride over the phone. It is unsettling but powerful.

While the concept is really interesting and unapologetic, it felt slightly stunted between “scenes”. Perhaps there was a lot to change between characters and scenes and whether more physical theatre or theatrical techniques could be used to move between these, keeping the momentum and the dark atmosphere going.

Unforgettable Girl is anything but forgettable and a great concept, but still needs work to help it continue to grow.

(5 / 5)

I’m going to start this review with a very bold statement: MEAT is the best thing at this year’s fringe and if I could give more than 5 stars, then I would.

This was a bit of a last minute choice for me. After filling my diary with requests, I tried to put in some interesting ones from the festival line up to fill spots. MEAT sounded intriguing and, I’m so glad I saw it. It was my last show of Ed Fringe 2023, and one I will not ever forget.

Coincidentally, I felt that I had seen a lot of feminist theatre while at Edinburgh this year, a lot looking at bodies, of consent, of domestic and sexual abuse. The quantity for sure does not shadow the importance of these productions. But there was something about MEAT that was unlike any thing I’ve seen, within this topic and others.

MEAT looks at women’s bodies, their own and others relationships with them; through weight and puberty, sex and growing up. Elle taps into how the body changing and judgement affects a woman growing up, and digs deeper into their subconscious than anyone making certain comments would think. It looks at sexual assault, how it strips away the empowerment and confidence of women and how we must build that back up. That these events are not our fault or should be felt guilt about from a victim.

Elle swaps from informal discussions with audience members, where we are asked to be involved in movement, with suggestions, discussions – they are always comical and fun and there is a sense of ease with her – we are her friends and nothing less. She transitions into spoken word which is poetic and powerful, engaging and trance like. There are skits of becoming a comedian, of other influences and commentary bundled into a character. There is physical theatre, movement, there is singing and dancing. There’s moments of sheer highs and moments of dark lows. And the way that Elle flows between all of this is graceful, it is so slick and so profoundly emotional. She is also absolutely hilarious and the belly laughs I felt were real; from her incredible ability to improvise, to her genuine humility.

Elle touches on some really tough subjects. She speaks honest and freely, addressing us all in unison but somehow, individually. She tells us that these incidences are not our fault, asking us to sit and live in the feeling we have when she is up front and straight with us about this. She is warm and comforting, and there are little dry eyes in the house as anyone who has experienced such interactions relives this but feels the warmth of Elle’s words. She notes that the production is scheduled for 1 hour, but that she finishes this early to allow a space for anyone to sit and feel their feelings and feel okay again. She even offers sweaty hugs at the door. It’s easy to bring a production to an audience, noting trigger warnings and when the lights are up and the applause had, let them go into the world. Elle notes, whether from experience or empathy, that there needs to be time to adjust to the shock of the topics and likely memories that are conjured. There isn’t a review comment to be made on this from a theatrical sense, but a personal and arts professional comment that this should be included in most triggering productions – a safe space should be provided and time to digest rather than just unleashing unsuspecting audiences back into the treacherous world after touching a sensitive part of their soul.

MEAT is an absolute powerhouse of a production. It has everything that a theatrical production on the fringe circuit would need and yet it is miles ahead of what the industry is achieving. It is emotional, it is powerful, it is utter perfection.

(4 / 5)

Fairy tales are told in every country and culture in the World. Often, they transcend boundaries and similar stories have their own cultural take on them, fitting that part of the World. They translate and therefore, combining them in one production is a very interesting and smart move.

We know the story of Hansel & Gretel. But what happens when their story is mixed up with Sleeping Beauty’s or Cinderella’s? Lost in the Woods is a fourth wall breaking show where our two well known characters of Hansel and Gretel are mixed up in other stories and need to find a way to finish their own.

Picture mad-capped comedy, bizarre impromptu characters and scenes, when both characters try to re-enact the story the narrator is telling with whatever they have in their suitcase, including fake glasses with nose attachment and a banana. The clowning and chaos ensues, with fantastic banter between our two performers.

The snippets of other stories are hardly named, but you audibly hear children in the audience say they know that story or call the title. They are engaged and the joyous laughter that comes from them at the slapstick on stage is infectious.

The set is minimal, but to create other scenes and characters, such as the witch in the gingerbread house, some shadow play is used and this is effective, bringing away the chaotic notion of other stories and bringing it back to Hansel and Gretel’s story. It adds a theatrical element, as if it were the main stage and what we see when it goes awry is the “back stage”.

Both performers interact well with the audience, inviting them in and reacting to the children’s unplanned interventions. There are even little nods to the adults, noting quietness at one point for a gentleman who admitted a hangover. This brings a little something for the adults to enjoy with it going over the heads of the children.

Lost in the Woods is a unique story, combining the old favourites. It is fun, mad and comedic, drawing on clowning and special techniques to make this something different to other re-tellings of children’s fairy tales.