12.98°C I had the pleasure of watching MAN, A One Woman Show at the Mercury Theatre during the Colchester Fringe, and it was inspiring. From start to finish, I was hooked. The show is written and performed by the powerhouse Emma Taylor, who gave theatre lovers a real treat.
MAN is a non-naturalistic, non-linear performance that tells different stories of women. It begins on a blank stage as Emma enters carrying a stool, a teddy bear and a blanket, placing them methodically in position. She then tests the microphone at the back of the stage, asking for it to be switched off. This was a brilliant choice, drawing attention to the fact that this is a performance and encouraging the audience to look beyond the surface of the stage. Emma then begins to offer us snippets of the stories we are about to see, ritualising them in a way that has a powerful and lasting effect.
The show was perfect for the fringe format, paced beautifully and impressively performed with seamless multi-roling and a range of accents. Emma is a highly skilled performer and writer, and this production is a wonderful showcase of her talent.
Review by Nate Drury.
