Originally developed from a stand-up routine, this is Claire Dowie's performance monologue which through comedy heightens many of the ways in which modern society still separate and identify gender.
The performer 'I' - in this case Che Eviénè - is a girl who wants to be a boy - or at least to be accepted by both genders by being able to wear the clothes she chooses, and walk, talk and react the way she chooses, without having to conform to age-old stereotypes and dictates which identify and separate the genders. She likes football and not having to cross her legs!
The play starts with a school girl - 14 years old - and she is wearing a school uniform, and yes, she is wearing a skirt. The skirt becomes a metaphor throughout the play for her disdain of conformism - she even finds no comfort from the rules and ethics of the Women's Lib movement!
At the start we hear about all the childish things that upset her about skirt-wearing - the biggest of these is that it is basically there to show off her knickers! - again something which she carries into her later life, wanting to cover her legs completely but being forced to wear skirts even when she finds employment as an adult! It might be men and women now but the 'games' are still the same!
This predisposition on the part of society to pigeon-hole and condition our lives is still very far from being overcome - society is too entrenched in ways of behaviour which will take several more generations to override, if indeed society ever manages to do so. But here we clearly see how our society has a very negative effect on those who either choose not to or simply cannot conform to our ways. This monologue may be a comedy, but its message hits home.
Eviénè commands the stage - a caged lion being given just one opportunity to run free, and she takes it and runs! She is angry, she rants, she has something to say, and say it she will. The director (uncredited - no programme) found many ways for Eviénè to bring these elements to the fore without losing any of the comedy - still excellently placed and timed - and with simple on-stage costume changes, took us simply and effectively from scene to scene through the stages of her life.
There are also a couple of songs in the show too which Eviénè quite competently accompanies herself on the guitar. One is a Beatles' song - and if you are wondering about the show's title, then whilst at school she was a member of a 'gang' of four girls, which they called The Fab Four, and of course, she was John Lennon!
A couple of things worked less well for me this evening. First, the large screen at the rear of the stage which showed images and videos from time to time to supplement the narrative was for me, unnecessary and focus-pulling. The last thing a solo performer wants is their audience to have something else to focus on; and the whole would have been tighter without it. Also, I did not see the necessity for an interval. The monologue is not too long to be performed all in one, and again, it would have been tighter and more immediate had it been done so.
However, one thing which is highly creditable is the fact that Che Eviénè is still only 17 years old herself, and still a drama student. She has mounted this mini-tour herself whilst still studying, thus raising her profile within the industry and gaining first-hand experience of the industry in a way that a college is unable to provide. If anyone deserves to make it in this business we call show, then surely it must be her! There were several of her college student friends in the audience this evening too, and their approbation of and support for their peer was utterly wonderful.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 4/10/18
Just to let you know that Che directed the performance as well as acting in it. In fact she created the whole performance alone, with some support with props from her College and friends.
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