Review: CHECKOUT, Lion and Unicorn Theatre
With less than a month to go before we hit peak Fringe theatre season, one-person shows will be popping up with abundance on the theatrical scene. With that in mind, Pistachio Theatre Company’s new show, Checkout, written and performed by Kitty Evans, deserves applause. Solo shows have a huge standard set for them as they need to hold up in terms of writing and performance, because there is no pomp or circus surrounding the action. The audience are intimately connected to the writing and the actor, and this is precisely what makes Evans’ show and the one-person format so special.
Checkout follows the life of the endearing twenty-six-year-old Lucy who works full time at the local Co-Op and explores the kind of displacement she feels based in part on an event that happened ten years ago (all will be revealed throughout the course of the plot). What is most compelling about Checkout is that although this is a deeply personal story of one woman’s life, played tenderly by Evans, this individual story will resonate with so many and deserves to be seen by audiences, if anything to let them know they are not alone.
It is an all-too-common theme for people in their mid to late twenties and beyond to be tackling feelings of general disenfranchisement, suppressed rage towards a sexist society and increased feelings of disappointment and well, confusion as to where their future stands. Evans smartly points out that people treat those in retail and customer service with the smallest amount of respect; even Lucy’s own mother wants her to get a “proper job”, despite the fact Lucy clearly works hard (and frankly in this climate, securing any job is a tough task). There is that unspoken but loud idea that these jobs aren’t ‘good enough’ and not as valid as other types of employment. They’re also often paid the least which contributes, unfortunately, to the stigma that some of Lucy’s old school ‘friends’ taunt her with, which we see play out during Checkout.
Credit must go to Safia Lamrani’s playful and imaginative direction style. Lamrani’s influence seems apparent in the vibrant energy of the piece and the ambitious but effective delivery of multi-rolling throughout the show. In some shows, multi-rolling can feel a little forced and unnecessary, however in Evans’ piece, the multi-rolling is sharp and distinctive while also creating a super sense of comedy.
Indeed, Evans’ supporting cast (played by Evans themselves) serves as both comedic relief and a sharp investigation into the wider themes of the piece. There is the hilarious passive aggressive quibbling’s of Lucy’s colleague, Belinda, and the satirical send up of Lucy’s creepy manager, Dave. At first, Dave seems to be a comic tool, used to make fun of that particular breed of invasive and disrespectful managers whom we all know. However, Evans’ focus on Lucy’s relationship with Dave is oh so relatable and sheds light on the fact that this everyday sexism is rampant and can be nefarious. Accomplishing a lot with this snapshot of life play, Pistachio Theatre’s electric duo of Kitty Evans and Safia Lamrani are ones to watch.
As we look forward to Fringe season, it’s important to applaud companies like Pistachio and indeed Evans herself for expertly tackling this challenging medium of a one person show and coming out on top.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Nancy Brie
Checkout plays at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre until 6 July, with further info here.
