Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh – until 26 August 2019
What Is It? A two hander written by Oli Forsyth that examines strangers who have nothing in common, except their porn addiction.
What Is It All About? Luka (Alice McCarthy) is a brilliant and hardworking bio-chemist. She has made huge strides in creating drugs that help those with diseases that are not yet curable. However, the intensity of her job isn’t easy, and in order to feel a release, Luka watches porn.
Things get out of hand when her internet activity is tracked on her work computer and Luka finds herself faces the consequences of her addiction. That is until she crosses paths with school teacher Jules (Oliver Huband), who she catches watching porn in a room full of school kids.
The pair bond, and soon realise they want each other, and want to break away from the porn. They make a deal to cut it out completely and as Jules has positive results from this decision Luka is not as convinced and the couple are faced with a challenge they are unsure they can get through.
How Did It Make Me Feel? An interesting subject matter that is not often discussed in such detail, this piece of work is an excellent portrayal of the struggles of addiction and the complicated nature of such. Forsyth’s writing is natural and open. Both McCarthy and Huband are fantastic and their chemistry is undeniable.
McCarthy’s performance is especially incredible, illuminating the problematic nature of having a porn addiction as a woman and what it means for her when it comes to her work, her social life and within herself. She is powerful and completely terrified and it is a wonderful performance.
The piece is completely inventive in terms of staging and Forsyth’s direction is evident. The use of a simple white stage and a single bench that is shifted between each scene, sets up the new worlds effortlessly. The use of a screen to explain where we are in each scene is also very clever and has a very clean and polished feel about it.
Anything Else? This isn’t a show about porn, it is a show about two people struggling with an addiction. It is a beautiful and heartbreaking story that is so based in reality that it will stay with you well after you have left the theatre. Amy x Such Filthy F*cks is playing at 10Dome, Pleasance Dome until the 26th August 2019. If you like my reviews and want to support this blog feel free to buy me a virtual coffee here!
