'Sandy' is a thoughtful and dense piece of writing by Anna Pellegrini, here produced by Peripeteia Theatre at Salford Arts Theatre as part of this year's Greater Manchester Fringe Festival.
Without any programme I am unable to credit the names of the two young actresses who performed this two-hander, nor do I know who directed it. In fact, I don't even know if I have completely understood the story correctly.
Advertised in an oblique manner, but already aware that Sandy is not human, we are presented with one of the actresses portraying a motionless seated girl who has a consciousness, is able to think and rationalise, realise she is different, but not able to function as a human. My thoughts travel through various rationales for this: robot, android, dystopian future-style sex worker, before realising that perhaps Sandy is nothing more sinister than an inflatable sex doll. Where this falls down however is with the writer giving a blow-up doll the ability to think and feel for herself, but not be able to move, it makes for a very static and visually unstimulating experience. Perhaps there are ways around this conundrum, but sadly the director of tonight's production didn't find them.
Advertised in an oblique manner, but already aware that Sandy is not human, we are presented with one of the actresses portraying a motionless seated girl who has a consciousness, is able to think and rationalise, realise she is different, but not able to function as a human. My thoughts travel through various rationales for this: robot, android, dystopian future-style sex worker, before realising that perhaps Sandy is nothing more sinister than an inflatable sex doll. Where this falls down however is with the writer giving a blow-up doll the ability to think and feel for herself, but not be able to move, it makes for a very static and visually unstimulating experience. Perhaps there are ways around this conundrum, but sadly the director of tonight's production didn't find them.
The opening of the play is stark. The play starts in blackout as a disembodied voice is speaking of dreams and imaginings. Most unfortunately we miss much of this wordy and novel-like monologue because the actress is seated facing away from the audience, and it isn't until she faces us that we can hear her every word. The second actress in this play (let's call her the wife), was sadly guilty of not projecting her voice sufficiently, and so once again, I missed much of what she said due to the quietness of her vocalisations.
I therefore iterate, 'if I have understood the story correctly', the play shows us two opposing viewpoints of the same man. They share similar thoughts about their own situations, but express them differently. However, since one of them is an inanimate object (?) they never share a conversation, but instead we, the audience, listen to two seperate internal monologues throughout. We learn that the wife still loves the man, although the man seems to be more enamoured with the sex doll. The sex doll (Sandy) expriences 'the fire' inside her and yet cannot retaliate or respond; and they come to an impasse, taking the wife more and more away from her husband (?) and bringing her more and more 'in love' with Sandy herself. Whether this be out of jealousy, or spite, or be a genuine attraction to the doll, I was unable to answer.
The whole play, lasting just over 70 minutes, was all acted on the same dynamic. It was slow-moving, pensive and wordy, without much movement. It was therefore a rather difficult watch, as one's concentration kept wandering and waiting for a change of dynamic to bring it back again. It was nevertheless a rather unconventional and interesting story, and quite a brave choice of production for two young females (whom I am assuming are still in their training stage) to perform.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 29.9.21
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