INSIDE OUT. Gupta, to 30 November

INSIDE OUT
By Tanika Gupta
Clean Break

Arcola Theatre to 30th November
Mon - Sat 8.00 pm

2 hours. One interval.

TICKETS 020 7503 1646
Review Danny Braverman 15th November

A powerful and touching account of two sisters, one black one white. An important story of working-class women.
Affy and Di are teenage sisters growing up in grim circumstances. Their mother Chloe is a prostitute with an abusive boyfriend Ed, dubbed 'Godzilla' by the girls.

The girls are products of two different fathers, one black one white, and so treated differently by Chloe. At first Chloe's racism emerges as casual and unthinking, as she cackles at the fact that a white man will get a shock seeing the 'coloured' girl he's chosen on Blind Date. But, as the play progresses, her bigotry becomes savage in the shocking first act climax.

And that's as much of the plot as I want to give away. Because this is an exciting production, that is refreshingly unafraid of presenting a strong story.

See it for yourself to be driven along by the emotional roller-coaster. There's a bravado in the way that writer Tanika Gupta presents us with the series of events, but these never seem melodramatic, as Clean Break ensures that their productions have the ring of authenticity. This is achieved in the main by immersing the writer in a process with women who have lived at the sharp end of the criminal justice system. Ms Gupta has taken this research and created a very well-crafted play.

But also, the artistic team seems to be working in harmony. Director Natasha Betteridge has drawn highly effective performances from the cast of three.

Sarah Cattle as Affy and Natasha Gordon as Di, both bridge the five year gap between the two acts very effectively - believable as both the teenage and adult selves. Despite the challenge of playing Chloe, a personality constantly on the edge of emotional collapse, Connie Walker does not shy away from the explosive nature of the character and somehow manages to avoid upstaging the sisters. She then displays her versatility, as she becomes the effervescent Brazilian Mercedes in the second half.

Atlanta Duffy's multi-purpose set and Sarah Collins sound design are unobtrusive and evocative, serving as a telling punctuation to the scenes.

I hope that Clean Break achieve a bigger crowd than the scattering at the Arcola on Friday. Not only is this a highly engaging, humorous and thoughtful piece, it's also telling an important story. Inside Out is the story of many spirited working-class women whose lives are devastated by domestic violence and poverty. Yes there is hope - the show is, in a way, a tribute to women's resilience. But also it is clear that the circumstances are avoidable, if only the powers that be had the political will for serious reform.

Sarah Cattle: Affy
Natasha Gordon: Di
Connie Walker: Chloe and Mercedes

Director: Natasha Betteridge
Designer: Atlanta Duffy
Lighting Designer: Catriona Silver
Sound Designer: Sarah Collins

2002-11-18 18:04:32