This week the Bristol Mayfest passes the baton to the White Bear’s excellent Wardrobe Theatre for a run of innovative performances by emerging talent.
At the heart of Bella Fortune’s one act play lie two questions: ‘Who is Elsie’ and ‘Who am I’? This is a one-woman show, written performed and directed (with help from assistant director, Faye Bishop), by Bella Fortune, so the ‘presence’ of a second character, Lizzy’s interlocutor, ‘Elsie’, is bound to have the audience wondering from the start. Is Lizzie really alone, Is Elsie just in her head – an invisible friend or something more worrying? Does she really exist? Is she in another room perhaps? Is Lizzy rehearsing what she is going to say to Elsie or is she going over what has already been said?
The ‘conversation’ takes place in Lizzy’s bedroom (presumably – it’s not made clear) as she prepares to go out for the night and is trying on a succession of different clothes from her ‘wardrobe’ (apt or what?) which consists of a rail with a number of different items ranging from the provocative to the relatively demure.
The second, more important question concerns personal identity and self-knowledge. Lizzie is planning to go out on the pull so the question of appropriate dress is a tough one. If she is out on the pull, just what sort of man does she want to attract and what does that say about her? Invisible Elsie is quick – occasionally annoyingly so – to pose the searching question. Is she a ‘girl’ or a ‘woman’? Is she adaptable? Conversation ranges over social niceties from burping to crotch scratching, but is always probing and carries an emotional arc, at times frustrating, but ultimately inevitable.
Bella gives a well-judged performance which gradually heightens the tension as she appears to be avoiding something about herself and struggles to make the changes that she knows, from Elsie’s incisive commenting and questioning, need to be made. It’s cleverly done since there is no other physical presence on stage of course and she manages to have some fun with the invisible friend’s questions and responses. We are convincingly taken into her thoughts and inner struggles until the final question, ‘Why is it that super-heroes need alter egos?’, is given it’s amusing and satisfying answer.
This is a well acted, neat, engaging little piece which, at about an hour, doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. Well worth catching. I’m sure we’ll see more of Ms Fortune.
More ‘Mayfest’ at the Wardrobe tonight. Can’t wait. ★★★☆☆ Graham Wyles
