At times harrowing and, at other times, breathtakingly beautiful, Stef Smith’s play is a heartfelt study of the lives of three young women, played by Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Anita Vettesse and Emily Wachter. One is agoraphobic and anorexic, the other two reach out to each other, making tentative attempts to forge a friendship. Loneliness and self-harm are prevalent themes throughout. Smith occasionally fails to provide a strong enough context for the drama and Orla O’Loughlin’s spare production does not help her. However, the lyricism in the writing and the raw emotion in the three performances provide ample compensation.
Performance date: 19 August 2015
The Beast's Pen 