THEATRE REVIEW: Bessie At Midnight Alone - Underground Venues -Buxton.

This one-woman show is essentially an observation of life from a particular prostitute’s perspective but the play engages in wider aspects of morality, particularly in relation to both the good and bad aspects of religion, without getting into the realms of theology. Inevitably, the play also looks at the choices given to women in society.

Bessie is a prostitute with a reasonable amount of self-esteem who views her job as a profession that is not too dissimilar to that of an actress and no less respectable; in effect, just another part of the entertainment industry. The play is not set in any particular time-period but the costume of the hooped-frame normally worn under a wide dress together with Bessie holding a small lantern and the existence of a police force seems to suggest a Victorian backdrop. This element certainly adds to the feeling of suspense, with images of Jack the Ripper murdering lone harlots on misty nights but this tale is certainly not set in Whitechapel but actually somewhere in the north of England. North of England humour is in fact one the hallmarks of the show.

The play constantly shifts between light and dark, with Bessie being something of both a raconteur and comedian. The delivery is often very reminiscent of Frankie Howerd with rhetorical questions asked and the actor then reacting as if the audience has somehow given answers. The humour however gives way to violence with the audience confronted with the dangerous aspects of life as a street harlot.

Janelle Thompson is wonderfully expressive throughout and her style matches the conversational style of the script. This includes several very credible impersonations of other people in Bessie’s life from a policeman to a nun to a client. There is no point in which the pace slacks except possibly towards the very end, where story gets overtaken by observation.

A very interesting theme in this play is the motivations behind certain religious actions. Two men who physically attack Bessie do so with seemingly ostensive objections to her ‘immoral’ lifestyle but the suggestion is that their actions are more a reaction to their own lack of any sexual experience. On the other hand, the nuns offer genuine Christian compassion with judgement, but behind this is the fact that a number of nuns have had plenty of sexual and relationship experience in former lives so they have genuine empathy for Bessie.

A thoughtful portrayal of an engaging character by a consummate actor with many interesting observations; well worth seeing.

Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 20.7.22