Content warning: rape and suicide.
Lovefool is a production of the Théâtre National du Luxembourg which made its UK debut at the Coronet Theatre in London and is now showing at the Edinburgh Fringe. Writer and director Gintare Parulyte bravely presents the story of a young woman named Grace and her attempts to cope with the trauma of her past. When we first meet Grace (played by the excellent Kristen Winters), she is an aspiring actress with a lot of issues. One is her excessive drinking, another is her relationship to sex. Grace relies on it constantly and irresponsibly, sleeping with partners without disclosing that she might have chlamydia and falling into toxic relationships at the first sign of surface-level affection. She’s a woman who desperately needs help and healing.
Some elements of Grace’s downward spiral were a bit too ‘on the nose’ for me. In her first scene at a theatre audition, she deals with harassment from an off-screen casting director who is laughably rude and spells out the show’s main themes a little too neatly. Later she begins a relationship with an (off-stage) boyfriend who is a cobbled-together caricature of the emotionally stunted male musician, and the show concludes with an extended scene between Grace and her (off-stage) therapist. None of these characters feel especially true to life, especially compared to Grace herself, because we do not meet them as characters, only as disembodied voices and recollections from Grace. The sheer amount of voiceover required makes me wonder what Lovefool would have been like if Winters had other performers to interact with.
Lovefool is unafraid to get experimental and I found its less traditional elements particularly effective. One of these is the integration of documentary footage shot by Gintare Parulyte. These multilingual reflections on what it means to be a good woman, or what we wish our fathers did differently, are some of the most impactful portions of the show. These serve to integrate Grace’s individual story with broader issues of generational trauma, violence, and gendered expectations. Winters shines throughout the show’s sixty-minute run time, encapsulating so much pain in a single facial expression and never flinching at what is required of her role.
Lovefool’s conclusion is deeply affecting and emotionally difficult to witness and finishes with Winters directly prompting the audience to reflect on what has been depicted. I was unprepared for this level of interaction, particularly in a room full of strangers, and this encounter prompted some members of the audience to leave early.
When my tickets were purchased, the Fringe website warned Lovefool “contains distressing or potentially triggering themes.” Thankfully, this has since been updated to “Contains themes of sexual abuse, substance abuse, suicide, self harm, strong language & swearing.” This elaboration is useful because the show’s therapeutic potential relies on audience members understanding what type of show they are about to see.
With this emotional preparation in mind, Lovefool can be an incredibly powerful and cathartic experience with a deeply satisfying ending.
Lovefool is staged at the Red Lecture Theatre in Summerhall. Performances run daily at 19:15 through August 17, excluding the 21. Tickets can be purchased here.
Images courtsey of Véronique Kolber, provided to The Student as press material.