Created by Audaciously Tenacious CIC
Review by Aislinn McSharry
Purgatory rebranded as a noughties fever dream crossed with a messy teenage sleepover: Audaciously Tenacious CIC’s Perfect Dead Girls is an engaging, enthralling exploration of girlhood, underscored with a harsh, macabre questioning of the many facets of existence.
Two girls are trapped in the state of limbo between life and death; what ensues is a conglomeration of comedic hilarity, heartfelt scenes, and painstakingly honest revelations. The show begins with a “C’est La Vie” dance number; although two unnamed characters, they are impressively distinct, one a seeming “goodie two-shoes”, in a pink ballerina leotard and cutesy pyjama shorts (Elizabeth Robbins), the other an Avril Lavigne wannabe (Chelsea Grace), detesting every step of involvement in this initial dance number. The dynamic between the two ebbs and flows: with the story unfolding in a non-linear fashion, the audience sees a colourful combination of intimate, emotional scenes between them, sister-like bickering, and absolute fury at the plight of their situation, all muddled together, in an unpredictable cascade of chaos.
Central performances were absolutely outstanding, cleverly dissecting their characters for audiences, capitalising on this non-linear structure. Grace’s character is tough, feisty, yet youthful and energetic, a passionate portrayal; Robbins’ character is traumatised, twisted, yet intensely identifiable, still fun and ebullient, but weighted in insecurity.
While a greater, omnipresent and omniscient power is often referred to, deciding when they leave this purgatory, it felt that more could have been done to define or demystify it, in order to aid the creation of larger themes at hand. With this, the play could have more significantly unravelled Robbins’ insecurities, her wanting to be chosen, and wanting to be “perfect” in death.
Nonetheless, Robbins’ final denouement was fierce, unstoppable, an angry unleash of her fears and insecurities. A slower, sombre, mashed-up version of “C’est La Vie” is then played, Robbins dancing again but in slow-motion, dripping in all the emotions communicated in her angry shouts. The use of physical theatre throughout is effective, engaging, a clear solidification of feeling portrayed.
A thought-provoking theatrical piece, Perfect Dead Girls is an exciting and successful debut for Audaciously Tenacious.
An Exciting Debut
Perfect Dead Girls ran at Bedlam Theatre
Running time: Sixty minutes without interval
Review by Aislinn McSharry (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Orly is entering into her final year as an English Literature student at the University of Edinburgh; a degree filled more with her involvement in student theatre than her commitment to academia. Orly’s involvement in theatre ranges from Shakespeare to musicaltheatre, with a particular interest in modern drama and new writing, which are the leading inspirations for (hopefully) a future career in the theatre. Orly believes Fringe is an extremely exciting and affirming environment for these passions, and can’t wait to see the promising work coming up this year.
