REVIEW: THE BIG O by Kim Cormack at King’s Head Theatre 16 May - 3 June 2023

‘hilarious, moving, important … truly a pleasure’ ★★★★

I don’t know what I expected when going to see a play with this title and obvious reference to female pleasure. Perhaps a few sexual jokes, verbal and physical, along with some references to female empowerment. 

Lucy (Jade Dowsett Roberts) enters with her open and enthusiastic discussions about her sex life, and soon introduces her issues with anorgasmia, her inability to orgasm (unless you count the fake ones) despite enjoying sexual activity with many partners. A single bed with covers lies at the far end of the stage, and she uses it to express her various experiences, both subtly and comically. At times chiding herself for her desires pointing to a bad feminist, Lucy takes us through her relationships along with her three friends (Esmee Cook, Lisa Spencer, Adley Lewis).

Though her three mates don’t have as much air time, they come in and out of the picture, often dazzlingly, most times supportive and encouraging, bringing great comic relief. In one scene, they line up for a sparkling display of dildos (and I mean that literally, they were all in sequined outfits). In another scene, they gave a hilarious list of words for the parts ‘down under’. And yet others, they donned their club outfits and danced the night away. In a beautiful story parallel, the trio also told the old tale of Baba Yaga and Vasilisa from the 1992 book, Women Who Run with the Wolves. A truly spell-binding ensemble.

Cook also has a short stint as a sex educator (complete with blurry slide of female genitalia) where she explains in professorial style the facts behind the anatomy and physiology of pleasure. But it is Lucy's caring therapist, Dinah (Anna Bernard), who tackles the hard stuff, working through her client's issues and really digging, encouraging Lucy to listen to her inner voice, to understand that what she thinks is sex addiction has a deeper layer, and to be able to have the courage of Vasilisa when facing the frightening Baba Yaga and to truly speak her truth.

I didn’t realize how moving it would be to hear this story. Nor how important. Dowsett Roberts tells the story with such enthusiasm, passion, and chutzpah, that I didn’t see the end coming. Despite the title, this is not just about excitement and culmination, but safety and security, about comfort and support, about courage and moving past the traumatic. Lucy truly learns to listen, to see, to speak... and to feel.

Am I glad I saw this piece? (You can see it coming.) It was truly a pleasure.

THE BIG O by Kim Cormack at King’s Head Theatre 16 May - 3 June 2023

Box Office https://kingsheadtheatre.com/whats-on/the-big-o

Performed by Jade Dowsett Roberts, Anna Bernard, Esmee Cook, Adley Lewis, Kevin Mesiti, Lisa Spencer (Adam Courting: Voiceover)

Directed by Lotte Ruth Johnson

Produced by Kim Cormack

Reviewed by Mariam Mathew