Review by Charlotte Leamon
In Gary Owen’s enthralling play Iphigenia in Splott Meg Clarke humours, terrifies, and warms the hearts of all those watching. In the intimate space of the Old Fitz theatre, Clarke enters the stage smoking a vape and accusing us all of judging her, assuming she is a ‘skank’ and a ‘slag’. She fills us with guilt, flips us off, and most importantly she intimidates us all. The intimacy of the theatre targets every audience member, and as I want to laugh at her…I don’t? Clarke’s breaking of the fourth wall and her performance is so ‘in your face’ for lack of a better term that if I laugh at the stark rudeness of Effie she will most definitely see and…well…even though I know Clarke is acting as Effie, I don’t want to appear mean. She is Effie and I am me, and we appear to be having a conversation.
As Effie swears and curses across stage, she captures us in to her narrative. Based in Splott (Wales), she is preparing to have the perfect hangover of the week, lasting three days so that she can make the week fly by. Effie is hostile and rude, but it is amusing. Owen beautifully captures a woman who’s thoughts and opinions run through our heads everyday, but we just don’t say them because of societal norms. Effie on the other hand, has no shame in saying what she’s thinking. And that’s why we like her. As Effie prepares to get ‘f***ing hammered’ that night, everything changes. Clarke’s emotional intensity and dramatical shift as we see Effie’s character develop is wonderfully subtle. We slowly see an aggressive woman unravel into a caring one, highlighting the important social issues of class, wealth and environment. Effie’s situation is not fair, and while we don’t excuse her rude personality…we care and feel sorry for this vulnerable woman who is only the way she is because of her circumstance.
Elements of sound, light and set fuse together in a way which elevates the performance. During the hour and a half monologue, not one audience member thinks to check the time nor do they provide a yawn. While this is immensely due to Clarke’s acting and movement under Clement’s direction, it is also due to the stage elements. The set is simple, a three tiered box to represent cement and the stark coldness of Splott. The sound is used sparingly, only for moments of transition, club, and at parts of monologue. This works very well, as sound is easy to feel overdone or underdone in one-woman shows.
Iphigenia in Splott is a highly amusing, and heart-wrenching journey. As Clarke embraces the trials and tribulations of Effie and her life, the audience is with her every step of the way. It is no surprise that this performance and script came back five years later with the same cast and crew, as it is not one to miss
