REVIEW: C’MON, ANGIE! By Amy Lee Lavoie at White Bear Theatre 6 to 17 June 2023

‘taut, sophisticated and prompts deep thought’ ★★★★

A knotty play about sexual consent which is bound to prompt a reaction from audiences allowing them to decide what is right and what is wrong. It’s a two hander which is very much in the vein of Greek tragedy Antigone, with both subjects championing their own perspectives, until the bitterest of endings. 

The play begins on the morning after a one-night stand, straight into the heart of the dilemma. With Angie (Rafaela Elliston) looking grim faced as Reed (Robbie Martin) cheerfully gathers his belongings to leave, hopefully making arrangement for another date. Only he’s married and his wife is Angie’s boss.  Her grievances are drip fed into the play until we finally have the whole picture. It’s likely to have audiences swaying in the wind unsure of where they sit in the argument which is one of the strengths of the play.

Rafaela Elliston as Angie might appear to be peaking too soon, but her controlled anger has its match in Robbie Martin as Reed who soaks up her complaints giving what might be a reasonable point of view.   There is power play here as it moves back and forth and this is essential to the success of the drama. It is a very tight duologue, well directed by Harry Burton, who never drops the ball.  It’s taut, sophisticated and prompts deep thought. 

Consent is a subject which certainly needs airing and Vancouver playwright Amy Lee Lavoie, having written this drama pre the #MeToo movement, is brutally honest covering aspects rarely considered.   In the notes we are told that the play is inspired by Lavoie’s wish to ‘exorcise some personal demons’ and situations which had become ‘commonplace for the women in her life’.  The decision to re-locate the action to Belfast is laudable, although this isn’t clear to audiences, the bedsit setting is closer to city living and the actor's Irish accents are familiar so the play feels up close and personal. 

Photography: Harry Burton

C’MON, ANGIE! By Amy Lee Lavoie

Directed by Harry Burton

White Bear Theatre, 138 Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4DJ

6 to 17 June 2023 Tues to Sat at 7.30pm Sat Matinee at 2.30pm

Tickets £17 & £12 concessions

Box Office www.whitebeartheatre.co.uk  

Cast

Raffy Elliston

Robbie Martin

Reviewed by Heather Jeffery