After an opportunity assembly in a bar, Rachel (Elf Lyons) and Nick (Nicholas Armfield) head again to hers for a one-night stand. On evening turns into two after which an ongoing hook-up and complex relationship. The first 20 minutes or so are like a mild kinky romantic comedy; the couple meet, get collectively and after numerous intercourse in numerous totally different locations, resolve to develop their intercourse life a bit of bit extra. There are lot of guffaws to be present in Lisa Carroll’s script, and it’s all intercourse optimistic, with no disgrace positioned on anybody’s curiosity in…
Rating
Ok
Sex optimistic and generally hilarious, however an excessive amount of repetition with two vaguely drawn characters go away us wanting extra.
After an opportunity assembly in a bar, Rachel (Elf Lyons) and Nick (Nicholas Armfield) head again to hers for a one-night stand. On evening turns into two after which an ongoing hook-up and complex relationship. The first 20 minutes or so are like a mild kinky romantic comedy; the couple meet, get collectively and after numerous intercourse in numerous totally different locations, resolve to develop their intercourse life a bit of bit extra. There are lot of guffaws to be present in Lisa Carroll’s script, and it’s all intercourse optimistic, with no disgrace positioned on anybody’s curiosity within the bed room, unsurprising provided that this specific story focuses on pegging.Â
Both the script and Lyons’ efficiency retains Rachel’s shields up, at all times up. In some methods it hurts the story, by no means permitting for us to get to know her, leading to not a lot meat to the function. When we do often get to see extra below the floor of Rachel, particularly in her response to her drunken father’s ranting, we lastly get the chance to see Lyon’s abilities. Armfield has way more to do, from Nick’s early filtration to his sexual journey, and the emotional affect of his relationship. He additionally will get to tackle some additional comedy enjoying Rachel’s boss, full with full Irish accent. Both bounce the comedy effectively off each other, however the emotional items and their relationship by no means fairly click on into place.
Each scene has an amusing title displayed on caption, whereas the pink velvet curtain attracts again to disclose a sequence of intercourse toys and a big neon cock. Cara Evans’ set properly leaves the number of dildos on show all through – reinforcing that their relationship resolves solely round intercourse.Â
As it goes on, The Misandrist usually repeats its jokes. While it begins as kinky, humorous and, at instances, even candy, it quickly turns into predictable and repetitive. It’s a disgrace as there are many good laughs and sufficient robust moments inside the script. It additionally runs too lengthy, two hours and twenty, and the interval simply arrives, not tied in with any story beat or occasion. It feels pointless, a considered edit might actually let the script’s strengths shine and lower the operating time with out dropping something.
A late monologue from Rachel feels misplaced; a protracted checklist of the ways in which males behave badly and while all true it doesn’t really feel like they arrive from the character however as an alternative the author stepping ahead. It’s undoubtably highly effective and receives a right away viewers response, however it feels plucked from one other play, one other script.
Is the play aiming to be subversive? There are actually points about consent and abuse raised, however they’re then nearly completely unaddressed. After Nick stops consenting to the intercourse acts and their relationship strikes additional into abuse, but it appears we’re nonetheless imagined to root for them as a pair. It feels off. If the intention was to interrogate a gender swapped strategy to the theme of male sexual violence, the play doesn’t do sufficient to deliver this out.Â
Unfortunately the early spark between the characters fails to ever get previous the humour. Although the script deserves reward for by no means inviting us to chuckle at their kink, it falls quick in delving deeper into their relationship or supplying substantial insights into their characters. This potential could possibly be absolutely realised with a discerning edit that enables the script’s strengths to actually shine.
Written by: Lisa Carroll
Directed by: Bethany Pitts
Design by: Cara Evans
The Misandrist performs at Arcola Theatre till 10 June. Further data and bookings might be discovered right here.