#CamdenFringe review: @TheThelmas Ladylogue, Tristan Bates Theatre
21/08/2015
Sarah Cowan performs Zero by Serena Haywood. Photo Philip Scutt
What does a murderer, an agoraphobic, a competitive mum and an ex-Facebook user have in common? They are four of the six characters at the centre of a series short plays written by and performed by women under the banner Ladylogue.
It is a wonderful showcase of talent each play is very different in style and tone. Taken together they are a brilliant mix of laughs, shocks and drama leaving with you plenty to think about. There are definitely some names among them, both writers and performers to look out for in the future:
Ghost by Lucy Foster explores how bereavement can impact on confidence and sense of self. Performed by Kim Burnett the protagonist is getting ready for a job interview that, if she can only keep it together, might be a small step towards a new start.
Joana Nastari performs The Night Tella by Sarah Milton. Photo by Philip Scutt
Ladykiller by Madeleine Gould opens at the scene of a murder. A hotel maid, hands bloody and with a knife in her hand, a guest lying dead at her feet. What led up to the killing and is the maid a victim of circumstance or cold and calculated. Performed by Hannah McClean who deftly handles the twist and turns.
My Sons Are Doctors by Mina Maisuria is about a competitive mum. A loving and seemingly rational woman who's life we discover is slowly unravelling as she sets her sights doggedly on winning at one thing. Asha Kingsley performs.
Family (Mis)Fortunes written and performed by Maria Yarjah is a lesson in the perils of being a teenager on social media. It's an amusing tale of embarrassing parents, lost loves (and street cred) and discovering the older generation are more internet savvy that you might think.
The Night Tella by Sarah Milton is inspired by Hilaire Belloc's poem Tarantella and combines a beautiful lyrical quality with contemporary language and subject matter. It's about a great night out that ends horrifically. Joana Nastari performs.
Zero by Serena Haywood is about an agoraphobic who is afraid of leaving home. Performed by Sarah Cowan we learn about how she has created a community online with those similarly afflicted. They have created a fictional life for themselves. But as the story progresses we learn more of her background and the events that sparked her condition.
You can catch Ladylogue at the Tristan Bates Theatre as part of the Camden Fringe festival until Aug 22 and its well worth a look.