Let the B*tch Out, The Space London Review
Written by Jasmine for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Fury Entertainment’s musing on women’s anger and how we can make space for it will feel equal parts cathartic and enraging (for all the right reasons) if you have experienced the double standard we apply to women’s rage.
The difference between anger and rage is a point we spend time with at the beginning - the origins of the words and the words for these feelings in other languages - what they can tell us. The way that rage can also be associated with madness resonates with the experiences described in this show - of being unable to get angry without being called the ‘b*tch’. It’s a thoughtful piece full of verbatim accounts which find a lot of their power in how taboo it can feel for women to talk about getting angry, or losing control, for fear of being written off entirely/demonised the moment they do. It’s both satisfying and empowering to hear these stories told and frustrating to remember how little you get to hear them (and how little men ever have to think this way about their own expression).
The way the actors slip in and out of alternate languages adds to this feeling of unrestrained communication, and the sense that this is an international problem. The entire cast does a beautiful job of making these changes seamless, and even if you can’t understand their words you always can feel their meaning.
For me, the highlights of the show were the moments of interaction - the cast did a great job of making you feel at ease to pull your angry faces or scream into a jar, as they created a really safe and supportive atmosphere. I also loved how they incorporated gorgeous live music from Anastasia Vol, and would have loved to see this play a larger role in the show.
The show ends with an invitation to look around the space as an exhibition, and even within the show there are moments where you are invited to look at the protest signs building up around the room, or the post it notes they lay out speaking the name of every country which hasn’t fully legalised abortion. This created visual moments of impact that really stuck with me, particularly looking at the sheer number of post it notes.
Ellie Brewster (writer/director) and Gabrielle Silvestre (producer/dramaturg) have done a beautiful job creating an honest and impactful show willing to show the dark side of women’s anger and the double standard applied to it, warts and all. I hope they will do future runs, as I would love to see how the piece continues to develop.
★★★★