Theatre / Greedy Pig Theatre
Review: Be, The Loco Klub – ‘A provocative, hard-hitting and honest exploration of gender and social stereotypes’
As we speak, the so-called ‘Gender War’ is at the forefront of the public discussion.
In the latest instalment of this ongoing saga the commentators on the Right are spewing outrage at Halifax bank employees who dare to display their pronoun badges. What is the reward for someone with gender dysphoria after going through the both physical and mental ordeal of Gender Reassignment? To be sneered at by Ricky Gervais for cheap laughs in a stand-up routine. Into this pervasive atmosphere of latent indifference arrives Be, like a shining sunbeam that comes lancing in.
The show comes from Bath-based theatre collective, Greedy Pig, run by Douglas Murdoch, Lex Kaby and Holly Jeffries. A rising star in the local theatre scene, writer Gabrielle Finnegan pulls no punches when it comes to exploring themes surrounding gender, societal expectations and sexual autonomy.
is needed now More than ever
The project was penned during a time when theatre performances were a distant memory at the heart of the lockdown. The Greedy Pig collective is pleased to bring this high-octane theatre production to Loco Klub after rehearsing on Zoom and masked up in open-air gardens during the pandemic.
Unlike conventional plays, this production lacks fixed dramatis personae but tests the limits of the cast for slick and seamless character changes and costume changes. The cast consists of the highly polished triumvirate Finn Harkin, Matthew Kay and Alicia Pollard. The evening begins with the strumming of an acoustic guitar and the sung refrain, “Let us be who we want to BE.”
Finn, Harkin and Pollard walk onto the stage amidst a plethora of cardboard boxes. The play runs through six stages of a life, starting and ending from a hospital bed. It explores many a trial of an individual’s life, ranging from societal expectations, family wishes and personal doubts.
Finnegan’s script is both humorous and hard-hitting, and no stone is unturned. There is little room for ad-libbing as the script is packed with memorable rhyming couplets, which has a powerful impact. Although the play was written prior to the controversial reversal of Roe v Wade, the cast successfully and seamlessly manage to comment on the bodily and sexual autonomy of women.
The versatility of the actors is a spectacle to behold, as they switch between accents and costumes with effortless ease. Harry Miller’s incidental music is both raw and visceral, heightening the drama unfolding on the stage. The singing, the extended monologues, laughter and passionate sobbing fill the cavernous space at the Loco Klub, adding an extra layer of intimacy between the cast and the audience.
When it comes to props and sets, there is organised chaos on stage, but the well-rehearsed cast is up to the challenge of keeping the production together without the slightest misstep.
The production thoroughly dismantles entrenched stereotypes and unhelpful advice such as “Man up!”; “Boys will be boys”; “a women’s place” and the ideal body type. And it doesn’t shy away from difficult topics such as eating disorders and suicide, shining a fresh light on these topics which are often talked in sotto voce.
Here, the message is loud and clear: gender is a social construct. There are male and female genders and on top of that there is a rainbow of genders in between those two. We should strive to put away the obstacles that are hellbent on separation, segregation and humiliation but should instead choose to embrace one another as we are.
The raucous applause at the curtain call is a well-deserved seal of approval from a thoroughly enthralled audience.
For more information about Greedy Pig Theatre Company, visit www.greedypigtheatrecompany.com, or follow @greedypigtheatrecompany on Instagram and @pigtheatre on Twitter.
All photos: Greedy Pig Theatre Company
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