31 July – 1 August

It’s 2007. You’re an eleven-year-old girl. You’re being bullied at school for being other than a ‘standard pretty girl’, you’re in love with Noel Fielding even though he’s 34, and your self-confidence is being shattered by an advertising and media industry that defines women solely through the hetero-male gaze. Where to seek solace? A diary perhaps.

In 2021 Tiffany Rhodes found her old diaries in a box and decided the struggle playing out on the pages deserved a public airing. Looking back at her 11-year-old self with compassion, a sense of the ridiculous and anger at what her younger self had to go through, Rhodes felt her childhood dream of becoming a comedian might just be possible after all. Let’s Unpack That is her first piece of one-woman comedy/theatre realism – a one hour long psychological ‘wild mouse ride’ careering around her tween landscape with entertaining momentum. She describes making the show as a terrifying experience, and is quoted as saying the word ‘cringe’ has become so embedded in our culture that people are scared to be their authentic selves. She hopes by revealing herself so publicly, others can find ways to re-examine their pasts and accept who they are and why. “I want to look back at my mistakes and laugh.”

With a single bed, posters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and My Chemical Romance on the wall and a blow-up pink plastic sofa as props, Rhodes was joined on stage by ‘Laptop Person’ Charlotte McEvoy acting as the visible tech aid. Behind and above her was a large screen that periodically heralded new directions in the plot, sometimes showing actual diary entries written by Tiffany’s 11- year- old hand, or BIG interests in her life at the time – Favourite Fictional Horses got a big laugh.

Rhodes, now nearing 30, was very convincing as her 11- year-old self. Bursting onto the stage with wide-eyed excited enthusiasm, later with furious frustration as she perceived school mate Maggie as a rival in love. Fevered application of kohl face makeup got more laughs. There was sensitivity too. In one scene she portrays herself feeling lost during classes at school – voices morphing into an indecipherable background, which she later understood was a condition of having ADHD. To cope she would pretend to be taking in what was being said.

The overhead screen pumped out its themes – WEIGHT CHAT was first up, while music by Harry Miller filled the room with energy. Rhodes dived bravely in. The bullying happening because of her shape; the secret eating of all the ‘wrong’ things; the sense of ‘Lard Police’ always on the watch. Graphics fed the dialogue very effectively – the Kellogg’s ‘Drop A Jeans Size’ campaign for instance or Sky TV’s Fat Families series, reminders of the persistent nature of the pressure.

What are your options when the only choices are Chav, Emo or Rich? How do you get to finally accept who you are and be happy? A recording of herself speaking affirmative things about her troubled younger self and what she had finally grown up to achieve led us out. Maybe this could have been the more powerful had Rhodes delivered this herself as boldly as she had everything else.

Let’s Unpack That is a promising premiere. Rhodes’ ability to win over and hold her audience was undeniable. The future looks bright.

★★★☆☆  Simon Bishop, 1 August 2025