Iron Fantasy at Soho Theatre Review
Written by Becky K for Theatre and Tonic.
Disclaimer: Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review. All views are our own.
What does it mean to feel strong? Comedic duo She Goat explore the stereotypes and complexities of strength in their Soho Theatre production, Iron Fantasy. Performed by Shamira Turner and Eugénie Pastor, Iron Fantasy is an energetic and thoroughly entertaining piece of abstract theatre that is funny yet touching.
Turner and Pastor take the audience through their quest on what it means to look, feel and be strong using direct address, physical theatre and song. Mixing interviews with different age groups and their own personal stories, the group invite audiences on their meta journey of the show’s own creation.
The real strength in this show is its humour. Both Turner and Pastor are incredibly dynamic performers, offering hilariously silly choreography, slick musical interludes and vulnerable honesty. From hard-core gym routines to building armour from kitchen utensils, hilarious montages depicting stereotypical assumptions of strength are dotted throughout. Furthermore, they are also talented musicians, playing iconic gym-core beats such as ‘Eye of the Tiger’ and ‘Wherever, Whenever’ in various renditions with a flute, autoharp and pleasing harmonies.
A more serious undertone cuts through the high-octane narrative, where in the final third, the mood shifts entirely. Physical humour about gym bros and eating raw eggs is swapped for candid conversations around grief and abusive relationships. While this shift in tone is predictable, it is a reminder of the show’s oxymoronic title, highlighting theatre as a tool to escape harsh realities of life and shed light on the violent experiences women and people live through. However, this impact might have landed more heavily if woven throughout the script, rather than saved for a conclusion that was less coherent and unique than the rest of the performance.
Performing at Soho Theatre until 26th March, Turner and Pastor are two formidable performers that you don’t want to miss. Providing the level of energy and absurdity that you might find in a 1990’s exercise DVD, Iron Fantasy is so silly yet deeply relatable, and would make really successful Fringe show.
★ ★ ★ ★
