So La Flair and MissMatch’s Is This Thing On? follows flatmates Liz, a musician (Megan Keaveny) and Mary, a poet, (Ellie Campbell) through their tumultuous relationship navigating sex, art and feminism. Intertwining song, spoken word, rap, and storytelling, the show artfully conveys the symbiotic relationship between life and artistry.
The show artfully conveys the symbiotic relationship between life and artistry
Kicking off with a montage of the two performers introducing themselves at an open-mic night, you are immediately struck by the slickness of the production. Sofia Armella’s excellent sound design provides a backdrop of throbbing beats, making the action hum with energy. Maya Heritage’s inventive set design is inspired: raised platforms contain pull out drawers containing various pieces of set — a sink, a toilet, clothes — which the cast open to create their surroundings. It’s an imaginative piece of design executed in a way I have not seen before.
Directed by Rosa Hallam Fryer and written by Keaveny and Campbell, the pair play with contrasting approaches to stagecraft and how this is reflected in the personal lives of protagonists Mary and Liz. Mary’s unwavering confidence on stage (that borders on delusion) is at odds with Liz’s humble hesitance. Mary takes pride in providing “a holistic approach to a female body living on stage”, and is vocal about her frequent sexual activity in her conversations with Liz. Liz, on the other hand, struggles to have the same confidence and has a rather inactive sex life. Tensions rise high after a snap decision at an open mic raises questions about the ethics of sharing someone else’s story for art’s sake, and the dynamic between the two friends is completely changed.
The show naturally delves into complex debates, making thought-provoking comments on expressions of queerness in art that can often become a “gay porno for straight people”. This is well balanced with humour, snapshots of songs and spoken word, which allow the themes to hit home without feeling forced. At times, however, moments of comedy are hammed up a bit, which is unnecessary. Keaveny and Campbell should trust that their witty writing can do the work for them and it doesn’t need to be over-performed. This could be easily amended with some re-direction. Similarly, some political statements are less integrated into the narrative than others. For example. In the latter half, the show makes a meaningful attempt to explore the ethics behind expressions of sexual trauma on stage; however, the big reveal that prompts this feels more sudden than the rest of the narrative and prevents us from fully connecting with the material.
For the most part, the writing is both wonderfully subtle and outrageous. Pacy yet thorough and not rushed, the slick transitions and dynamic staging sustain your engagement throughout, much to the credit of Fryer’s direction. This is enhanced by Keaveny and Campbells deft movements as their bodies continue to tell the story sans text.
In short, Is This Thing On? is very cool. Its stormy voyage through the throws of female friendship makes for electric theatre. The creative team is certainly one to watch out for.
