Tish (Letitia Delish) is stuck. In more or less every sense of the word, in fact. She is increasingly uncertain of her gender and wishes to explore nascent alternative sexuality. Tish is studying musical theatre in Bognor Regis, hardly a hotbed of cosmopolitan acceptance or tolerance. And then there’s also rent to pay.
The intense vulnerability displayed by the outstanding Letitia Delish will live long in the memory
A chance encounter on Grindr (a dating and social app, popular with the LGBTQ+ community) pushes her into highly unexpected territory. Tish decides to become a professional dominatrix. To her surprise, she successfully embraces and embodies this alter ego and is delighted to develop a significant income stream. “My time is expensive,” declares Tish, setting the tone for the role of dominatrix. But what is the real cost?
The stage is striking: we see a swathe of dominatrix equipment and clothing, but in the corner is a figure head to toe in latex. At first, such is the absence of motion that it is uncertain whether it is a full-size doll or a human being, but close observation reveals it to be the latter.
The dominatrix now takes centre stage and exerts control over the submissive visitor (Alex Chorley), occasionally breaking character and offering us the juxtaposition between person and role, with identity becoming fluid. This activity, being a form of sex work, is necessarily shrouded in secrecy. The visitor, it transpires, has a girlfriend, giving rise to one of the most humorous lines in the dialogue. When setting boundaries, the visitor is asked if there is anything she shouldn’t do, prompting the urgent response: “Don’t tell anyone!”
This is a sensitive subject area, one which is directed unflinchingly by Kade Cipher, which could easily have strayed into voyeurism but instead is measured and adept.
Tish Weinman’s writing is textured and layered, giving the two excellent performers space to tell their story. The relationship between the two develops and pivots, with boundaries explored and pushed subtly. The pace and timing are superb and at times surprisingly touching and poignant.
The sense of someone not belonging, struggling to come to terms with identity, societal expectations and social norms, is pervasive throughout this production. Another key theme is that of acceptance - the need for it, the pursuit of it and the consequences of it not being forthcoming. While the focus of the performance is on the world of the dominatrix, the relevance for wider society is clear.
Provocateur is, at its core, a depiction of individuals struggling to find their place and identity in an often hostile world. The intense vulnerability displayed by the outstanding Letitia Delish will live long in the memory.
