Written and Performed by Laurel Brae
Review by Marina Funcasta
Greenside @ Riddles Court : Tickets
With a flower crown, green linen dress, and rocks in her pocket, Laura Thurlow's River Time! is a pagan's dream. Evoking the wild woman from 'Women Who Run with the Wolves', Thurlow's histrionic tale about rejection and suicide belongs in a genre already established by so many women in history. There is a power in her feminity, and though the show fails in its comedy, the bravery which underpins it is nevertheless admirable.
Drawing from several historical references, the most substantial element of Thurlow's script is its aching for connection. Discussing loneliness is inherently exposing, especially if doing so through the vehicle of a character who is essentially yourself. However, she edifies her alter ego by constructing pillars from the likes of Janis Joplin, Virginia Woolf, and Ophelia. This highlights a historical consistency in the fates of many women, ascribing a feminist resonance that is too often undermined in the media.
However, by virtue of this, Thurlow's play also acquires a certain melodrama. The comedy of melodrama, especially when performed as a one-woman show, is challenging to get right. This is mainly because the narrative comes across as not self-aware, and instead of allowing the audience in, it widens the gap. This is not constructive for comedy, as it very quickly can incite a laughter of difference as opposed to a laughter of shared understanding. Her voice, nevertheless, carried Thurlow's story through and often reaching quite emotional themes, the intimacy of the Pickle Room at Riddle Court proved a perfect space for such a show.
Review by Marina Funcasta (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Marina is halfway through an English literature degree at Edinburgh University, wherein she has been (considerably) involved in the drama scene: enjoying performing with their Shakespeare Company shows, but also modern takes on Arthur Miller. However, Marina's interests are wide-ranging under the theatre genre – enjoying abstract, more contemporary takes on shows (with a keen interest in Summerhall)
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