Last night I treated myself to a pre-birthday outing at a small, off the beaten track, location in London's Angel.
The Old Red Lion, the venue for my escapade, is situated above a pub of the same monicker. As pubs go, it's a great place but I'm more interested in what's up the short flight of stairs. So I'm pleasantly surprised at the small but homely box that greets me as I walk through the door.
@ORLTheatre is quaint and cosy. No giant swing back chairs and cup holders here. Instead guests are welcomed by church-style pews with comfy cushions and soft background music. As we wait for the action to start there's a sense of expecting a few friends to pop in and chill out for the evening. Such a great change from the normal "let's get on with it" approach.
#UI_BaggingArea is not your average theatre piece. Opening with a gynaecological exam of 50-year-old Victoria, we are taken through a comic, sometimes heartbreaking, tour de force of menopause, anger, separation, boredom and a desire for something greater from life.
The "counselling" scene reminds us that sometimes seeking help from others is not always the answer because the helper also needs help. And the anger shown in the supermarket reminds us that everybody has problems - even if we can only see our impending demise.
To be honest, there is plenty of food for thought here. A word is enough for the wise as the play talks to us about chasing all the things that will not give us fulfilment or anchor our relationships.
The play deals with the decimation of our self worth in a relationship due to a drought in communication, the reality of advanced years and the fear of being (and dying) alone.
From the author, @sarahsimmonds1, we have a thoughtful and humorous insight into the world of menopause and sickness, fear and hope, anger and the determination to change the narrative. It's a brilliant piece by a skilled writer who is just beginning to scratch the surface of a talent that should take the creative arts by storm.
