Written by Hannah Moscovitch
Directed by Christian Barry
Review by Eve Nugent
Lauren has asked Luke to narrate her life on her behalf – she sits quietly on a raised platform, hoping to better understand herself by observing from the outside. Luke accepts the task and opens the story by describing her recent mental battle, despite a seemingly perfect life; we learn she is a journalist, working on a commissioned article about domestic violence. What subsequently unfolds is a poignant, hard-hitting piece which challenges the boundaries between memory and accountability, cleverly written within the framework of the #MeToo movement.
Luke’s astounding monologue – at times sorrowful, at others comical – is performed with great sensitivity by David Patrick Flemming; he describes the brutal violence of Andrew against his girlfriend Britney, the key case Lauren is tackling for her article. Slowly, as more of her life is revealed, the cracks begin to show – Lauren, performed with beautiful vulnerability by Michelle Monteith, is forced to confront her own deeply buried experiences. A twisted web of childhood and adolescent trauma slowly comes to light, posing a series of vast questions. What is the true difference between trauma and experience, especially in the fog of your messy teenage years? And is it okay to make a mistake, even if that mistake alters someone’s life?
Lauren begins to lose faith in her own memory, questioning the fragility of perspective, consent and complicity – Monteith offers a subtle, deeply moving performance which evokes great sympathy, quietly breaking hearts with her portrayal of a bruised woman, constrained by unreleased words, hurt by numerous men throughout her life. Her characterisation is well supported by Flemming, who narrates with impressive power and compassion – their chemistry on stage is palpable.
Director Christian Barry and writer Hannah Moscovitch have crafted a true masterpiece, backed by two incredible actors – cleverly interrogating the patriarchy and its culpability, this show will leave you stinging long after the lights go down.
A True Masterpiece
Red Like Fruit runs at The Traverse Theatre
Running time: Sevebty-five minutes without interval
Photo credit: Riley Smith
Review by Eve Nugent (contact@corrblimey.uk)
An undergraduate French student at the University of Edinburgh, Eve has a diverse interest in theatre and performance. Her primary devotion is acting, predominantly at Bedlam Theatre with her fellow students, but also with French group ‘Les Escogriffes’ who perform annually at the French Institute of Scotland.
Her creative attention stretches also to classical music, as she enjoys playing the flute, piano and guitar. She thus looks forward to watching whatever the Fringe has to offer, irrespective of genre!
