REVIEW: TIPSY by Edie Walwyn at The Cockpit Theatre 13 – 17 June 2023

‘Dark and Funny’★★★

I recently went and had a very decadent foot spa session and, on arrival, I was offered a glass of fizz. I was slightly taken aback and stuck with water but, for some, the temptation of ‘free’ booze when having a nice treatment might lead to another one, and another one ….

Edie Walwyn’s fun and interesting Tipsy finds Maria - Zara Walwyn, who also directs - pitching up to a nail bar with a diverse and not entirely pleasant clientele. She has plenty on her mind and, when a glass of something alcoholic is offered up by the receptionist Charlie - a fun and cutting Jac Norris - she takes little persuading to get stuck in.

What follows is a dark, funny, at times slightly incoherent study of a woman feeling all the pressures of modern London life. Maria is stressed by her job and rubbish boss, stressed by her useless partner and stressed / worried about possibly having a very personal health ‘issue’. Her descent into drink is heightened by those around her either being unforgiving or just plain rude and there is a timely message of the need to be kinder to those around us - who knows what people are going through?

Edie Walwyn had previously shown a sharp eye for the oddities of life - the macabre, even - via her film SUFUKU which I really liked. Here, there are flashes of acerbic wit in the writing, including a well aimed joke at a TV presenter in the news and some nice observations on what happens when we overshare, and how strange it can be to be a ‘stranger in the city’.

The nail bar - and we see the action set there once in each half - is a perfect vehicle for classic ‘throw a load of different people together and watch things unfold’ storytelling. As Maria, Zara Walwyn has a lot of fun with the role, has a good go at breaking the fourth wall and whilst not exhibiting like-ability we do root for her as she battles with her inner demons. Ultimately, I would have liked to have seen the writing allow her to go ‘all out’ drunken balminess and, fundamentally, she is not on stage enough.

There’s a nice opening section where Maria is strolling through London, ignored and bumped into by other characters and there’s a strong resonance here. In truth, the minor characters are under-written although alongside Norris’ snippy turn there’s some nicely delivered lines from Louise Nicholls.

Ultimately the show feels a bit of a work in progress and a further iteration would also iron out a few clunky moments - I also think there were a lot of nerves around on opening night. Edie Walwyn is a talent and with more work in the pipeline she is one to watch and I hope to see Tipsy be, er, more tipsy next time … cheers!

TIPSY by Edie Walwyn at The Cockpit Theatre

13 – 17 June

https://www.thecockpit.org.uk/show/tipsy

Directed by Zara Walwyn

Produced by WALLFROG

Reviewed by Paul Maidment