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Watching a play about Liz Truss, Britain's shortest-serving Prime Minister, might seem as appealing as dental surgery. After all, you may be dealing with the repercussions of her fifty-day leadership, such as higher mortgage rates. You might also be familiar with the term "moron risk premium," coined by an economist to describe the impact of having Truss and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng in charge. Consequently, revisiting this time in 2022 may not seem like an enticing subject for a theatrical production. However, writer Greg Wilkinson’s unique portrayal of select aspects of Truss’s life, alongside a standout performance by Emma Wilkinson Wright, makes this a compelling work. While Wright doesn’t physically resemble Truss, she delivers a performance that captures her mannerisms, awkwardness, and platitudes. The play is currently at the White Bear Theatre . Presented as a monologue, Wright performs at a desk, on it, or even in a chair while singing karaoke—one of Truss's ...
He had it coming: Burnt Up Love @finborough
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Out of the darkness and shadows, three characters emerge. Lit only with candlelight or flashlights, a gripping tale by writer and performer Ché Walker about crime, punishment, love, and loss emerges. The fast pace conveys a sense of urgency to make up for lost time, lost opportunities, and what might have been. It’s currently playing at the Finborough Theatre.
We first meet Mac (Ché Walker) in prison, serving time for a crime he committed. With only a photo of his young daughter, Scratch, to keep him company, he looks for her upon release. But Scratch (Joanne Marie Mason) isn’t the teacher, lawyer or dancer Mac imagined while incarcerated over the years she might be. Instead, Scratch is in and out of trouble, on the edge, angry and violent. A chance encounter one night with JayJayJay (Alice Walker) forms a loving bond and gives her a moment of stability. But Scratch’s demons and restlessness mean trouble does not seem far away. Scratch's random act of thoughtless violence against an ex-lover threatens all the characters.
There are strong performances in this three-hander with three distinct contrasting characters. The tension is heightened by original music by Uchenna Ngwe and additional music by Sheila Atim, which gives the sense of urgency, loss, and anger.
Usually, it would be easy to consider a show under lit as a missed opportunity since you can’t see the performances. But here, in the intimate space of the Finborough, you find yourself leaning into the void to connect to the characters and their loss. It may not be a straightforward story to tell, but one you can’t look away from either.
Written and directed by Ché Walker, Burnt-Up Love is having its world premiere at the Finborough Theatre until 23 November.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Photos by Rio Redwood-Sawyerr
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