[star rating =1/5]
A good idea that really doesn’t deliver – In fact, it was the one of the worst show I’ve seen this fringe, and an underrehearsed and underdeveloped attempt at satire or any commentary on current affairs.
Starting with a distant recollection of Hillary and Trump quotes from the 2016 U.S presidential election; “when there are no ceilings the sky’s the limit” – I hear her say on a voice over.
Well unfortunately, there was a ceiling on this production, brought by the Cambridge Road Players.
Drunk Hillary pours another glass of white wine, drowning in the sorrows of her election campaign when Virginia Woolf, Milton’s Eve, Dido Queen of Carthage, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Frida Kahlo and a northern Irish lady named Pam – who felt a bit like the extra mate they had to include.
These were among the historical females that offered Hillary their commentary on her experience during the electoral run. A good concept, in my opinion.
Unfortunately despite the clever concept over half of the audience had walked out by the end, and I must admit I was itching for it to be over myself.
This production felt as it had had no direction. Even the concept suffered at the hands of the script when Hillary’s Kitchen left the kitchen and ended up at a random BBQ somewhere that left the audience totally confused – I think this was supposed to be where they explored gender roles.
Then after a quick jump back to the Clinton house, there was another random sketch in which Prince Charming couldn’t find work because all the Disney Princesses were rescuing themselves.
This play is trying to touch on far too much and in turn just becoming a painstakingly long hour and ten minutes, and losing any message it may have had at the beginning.
There were too many cast members, some with only 4 minute parts, and none of which managed to connect with the room. The strongest characters were those who had the most reference material, Hillary, and Virginia – likely because they hadn’t written their own characteristics; it’s fair to say these two actors had at least begun getting into character, but yet again, the script let them down.
To say something admirable, the costume, the lighting and the sound were all very good.
