Irish lass leaves home in Cork to seek better opportunities in Dublin. It could almost be an advert in the Irish Times. Degree in hand, said lass bids farewell to friends and family, but not to her accent, heritage nor black dog. Quickly she meets new mates and gains a boyfriend, but struggles both to find a job and stop the black dog barking. Hence the Solpadeine. That over-the-counter legitimate opiate is used to maximum (but not over-the-maximum) effect, to take the edge off both her headache and the realities of life in the economic downturn. When a split from boyfriend Steve accelerates her descent into deep depression and almost suicide, Stefanie vows to find a more 'healthy way to fight'.
Written and performed by Stefanie Preissner, this is a non-autobiographical monologue. Told mostly in rhyming couplet, the delivery is punctured in the middle by an explanation of the chemical mechanisms of Solpadeine. Although it doesn't quite fit with the rest of the performance, when Stefanie downs an effervescent half pint on stage (Rip, tear, pull. Drop, drop, pull), you almost want to shout 'no!' as though you were watching an addict shoot up on stage.
Stefanie herself is dressed like a giant metaphorical box of Solpadeine, with only two props - a huge bean bag and a ceiling mounted punch bag. She works both of them well, as she transforms one or other into her luggage, laundry, boyfriend, car, dog, bath water - and a thumping headache. Even the ubiquitous barking dog hints at her deteriorating mental health. Lighting effects come into play about half way through, when the mood shifts and shadows appear on the wall, casting a dark sense of foreboding over the proceedings.
Stefanie's writing is well observed and humourous and the way that water, in various forms, is woven into the plot is ingenious, albeit understated. However, her delivery is not quite dynamic enough to emphasise these moments of cleverness nor highlight her excellent rhymes. In addition, although the story itself is gripping, the inclusion of every pestilence known to man - from joblessness to the plight of the whale - isn't worked naturally into the rest of the material and feels too much like an afterthought. However, it is an enjoyable and enlightening hour and worth it even if only for her amazingly lifelike dying turtle impression.
