The second (and final) showcase night of Untold Stories, a performance and exhibition space for women, non-binary people and minority gendered artists, was a success, showing a variety of propositions ranging from theatre, to film, poetry and performance art. Bedlam Theatre also exhibited some great artwork which ranged from textiles to paintings and sculpture. Poets read their pieces during showcase intervals, and there was some live music in the preshow too. There was a lovely vibe in Bedlam Theatre, no doubt due to Freya McCall and Ruth Maley’s fantastic Creative Direction, which gave platform to really interesting works, including these five “performances” on 10 April.
Lady M Sees Red was a short monologue in which Lady Macbeth was reimagined as a child who has just got her first period, and questions the roles and expectations of women. Isabella Dellazari Velarde interpreted the material with great character and feeling, and there was subtle and intelligent directing by Zuza Soltykowska, with real symbolic power being communicated through action and object.
The Fairie Wife of The Cowgate was a fascinating insight into local history. It concerned itself with the plight of a healer tried for sorcery. The text was very interesting, although it might have been better interpreted with a closer eye on oral tradition. Reinterpreted for only a performer or two, might have minimised the transition times and improved the dramatic unity of the piece. Still, the four performers on the night did the material plenty justice, and Faracy Grouse’s presence (and wonderful singing!) at the end of the piece was a sublime coup de théâtre.
Bacchanalia was a time bending play where Dionysus and his family were reimagined in a contemporary setting, complete with Gen-Zisms, before being thrust into the violent world of the Bacchae. The end section of the work was certainly the highlight, which had some immersive technical direction, complete with the sound of heavy drums, stark red lighting, and a great interpretation of dismemberment!
Epithumia was a short film written by Erin Clark and directed by Wren Fry. It was an exploration of love, specifically through the lens of consumption. The story concerns a writer and a stranger she has just met after giving an interview. The film cut between a narrative and more surreal fragments, with the latter parts being my favourite, providing some interesting imagery and commentary on the relationship between eros, word and fantasy. The film also explored themes of being a writer as a woman, and queer womanhood too, and had some great insights here.
Burn the Muse was a piece somewhere in-between theatre and performance art, and my favourite piece of the night. Mia Dean’s devised work was about the relationship between muse and artist, drawing on examples from history; but quickly turned into a meditation on artistic production itself. The direction was blazingly intelligent, with a seemingly never-ending string of brilliant images conjured by objects that ranged from paint, to clingfilm, to books being torn, a bit with an umbrella – I could go on. The piece was greatly supported by a live drummer that gave the actions a real intensity. It had three performances that were comfortable to really go “out there” and it made the work poignant, harrowing and genuinely theatrical.
God’s Sip was a lovely way to end the night. A series of monologues about gossip, which according to the show copy, etymologically stems from an Old English word that reflects the powerful bond between close female friends. The seven strong cast filled the Bedlam stage, delivering monologues (or gossiping!) on a variety of different topics around womanhood. It was a sometimes funny, sometimes poignant script with real tenderness. With the final monologue being delivered, the other six performers moved into the auditorium to interact with the audience, sharing the final moment of Untold Stories with us before filtering out into the exits…
This was a great night with a huge variety of pieces, and a real celebration of women, non-binary and minority gendered artists. Hopefully there’s more of the same very soon!
Image via Bedlam Theatre