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Sponsored by The Void

 
Gillian Bain Review by Gillian Bain 4 Published: 6 Aug 2025 Greenside @ Riddles Court Show Dates: 1 Aug 2025-16 Aug 2025

Have you ever been so frustrated with life that the only way to deal with it is to scream into the void? What if it turned out that the void was listening? This black comedy, from Seattle-based Coconspirator Theatre, showcases the true horror of a modern woman expected to do everything and the existential crisis that follows. It’s a feeling that may be all too relatable to many in the audience.

A thoughtful exploration of endings, feminism and what it means to be consumed, or should I say... devoured

Leah hosts an extravagant Halloween party every year, but it’s all getting a bit much. With no help in sight, particularly from her long-term boyfriend, and work deadlines looming, it would be easier to just cancel the whole thing. But when The Void arrives offering to sponsor the party, Leah might find a way to make it all work. This play is a thoughtful exploration of endings, feminism and what it means to be consumed, or should I say... devoured.

Most of the play has a repressed middle-class dinner party comedy style reminiscent of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, God of Carnage or 2:22 A Ghost Story for a more recent example. This sub-genre requires sharp writing and subtle tensions in character relationships. For the most part, writer and director Melanie Godsey does an excellent job of pulling this off. Where the show really comes into its own, though, is the psychosexual element. The unresolved lust hangs potently in the space as Leah seems slowly more and more seduced by the prospect of the void.

The acting performances are strong. Jed Mathre plays a boyfriend so convincingly gross and dislikeable the actor was booed when he came back on stage to give the post-show thanks. Bringing an elegant, poised and terrifyingly surly presence to the stage is Jenifer Ewing as The Void. The sort of horror villain that isn’t really a villain at all and makes you think maybe the end won’t be so scary. After all, a woman’s place is in the void.

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The Blurb:

Fresh from its sold-out premiere in Seattle, this psychosexual queer feminist horror comedy explores despair, agency and women’s erotic relationship with The Void. Leah's life is crushing her: work, friendships and her long-term boyfriend pile responsibilities on with no end in sight. When Leah is approached by a manifestation of The Void in the form of an alluring woman, she must decide what she’s willing to risk to reclaim her agency. Is she ready to look her own desires right in the mouth? Audiences rave: 'Beautifully sharp, deeply sexy, fantastically unsettling', 'Great sense of existential dread!'