Superhoe by Nicole Lecky. Jerwood Upstairs, Royal Court, Sloane Square, London. 4**** William Russell
London
SUPERHOE
By Nicole Lecky
Jerwood Upstairs, Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AS to
Mon-Sat Mat Thue & Sat
Runs
TICKETS: 020 7565 5000
@ReviewsGate
@pursuivant
Review: William Russell 5 February.
Smart, sassy and heartbreaking
London
SUPERHOE
by Nicole Lecky
Jerwood Upstairs, Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AS to 16 February.
Mon-Sat 7.45pm Mat Thu & Sat 3pm.
Runs: 85 mins No interval.
TICKETS: 020 7565 5000
@ReviewsGate
@pursuivant
Review: William Russell 5 February.
Smart, sassy and heartbreaking
Sasha lives in Plaistow with her mum, step-dad and little sister – boyfriend won’t call, her time is spent in her bedroom on social media and she dreams of making a record as she composes songs. Then she has to leave, step-dad has had enough and mum is pregnant again. Nicole Lecky plays all the parts in this monologue play and does so very well indeed as Sasha’s life takes a down turn, Anton, the boyfriend has a new partner, his brother is due out of prison, someone has set fire to the garden of Anton’s house and the police are calling. Then Carly, a new friend, introduces her to the world of on line sex, and what is wrong with that? You don’t meet anybody, you get good money, and it is all pretend anyway. But one thing leads to another, Carly has her own agenda, pretend sex for cash turns into the real thing, and Sasha goes along with it until it all turns sour.
Life may be grim, but the new girlfriend Carly is not as in control or as strong as she has seemed, the DJ from Dalston who was interested in her music proves equally as interested in her body, the lost boyfriend turns out to be a lost cause, but there is a family friend to offer shelter. Maybe Sasha is going to survive and more songs will be written.
This impressive piece is as unsparing in its look at what is provided for men on the net by women as it is on the problems of someone suddenly homeless. It get an impressive performance from Lecky – Sasha may be exploited but she knows who she is - and has been adeptly directed by Jade Lewis so that the songs and the changing mood blend in perfectly.
Sasha Clayton: Nicole Lecky.
Director: Jade Lewis.
Costume Designer: Kiera Liberati.
Lighting Designer: Prema Mehta.
Music: The Last Skeptik.
Sound Designer: Emma Laxton.
Movement Director: Sara Dos Santos.
Graphics & Video Designer: Ewan Jones Morris.
Production Photography: Helen Murray.
