Review: WHAT IF THEY ATE THE BABY?, Soho Theatre
Photo credit: Morgan McDowell
To put it simply, it has been a hugely momentous week within the UK theatre scene. From the 15th anniversary of the OffWestEnd (Offies) Awards on Monday when Xhloe Rice and Natasha Roland deservedly earned winner of ‘Best Performance’ (yet another accolade to add to their ever-growing award-winning list), to the start of Rice and Roland’s production tour, bringing electric theatrical masterpieces including What If They Ate The Baby? back to the heart of London. This clowning duo direct from the Big Apple are already enchanting London audiences at Soho Theatre for a limited run of their double-bill.
What If They Ate The Baby? premiered in 2023 and hasn’t lost its charm since. This is a play that explores the relationship between two neighbours, 1950’s housewives Dottie and Shirley. The duo uses clowning, choreography and comedy to explore the challenges that these neighbours face and give audiences an insight into the often dark and unspoken thoughts that are usually kept secret. Through this entertaining insight into Dottie and Shirley’s minds, we see that the spaghetti casserole isn’t always greener on the other side.
Everything about this show’s production value truly hits the mark and makes it memorable, from striking sets to stylish yet playful costume and makeup design. What If They Ate The Baby? works so well in the small intimate theatre setting of the Upstairs venue at Soho Theatre, and the incorporation of the thrust theatre staging arrangement is brilliantly utilised, providing interesting perspectives of the production from all three angles.
This is a dynamic duo undeniably brimming with talent and bright ideas, bringing tantalising and innovative performances into conception and pushing the boundaries and definitions of conventional theatre in the best way possible. It is no surprise that Rice and Roland are three-time consecutive Fringe First Award winners. There is a sort of and ever-establishing cult-like classic following this double-act, making them a hidden gem of fringe style theatre. Their onstage chemistry as characters and actors is simply contagious, and it is no surprise that they have been theatrically collaborating for over a decade, creating space for their unique style of theatre.
A favourite part of this production has to be the dynamically choreographed movement sequences that are an impressively dazzling spectacle to watch. The electric embedding of physical theatre, blending Billie Eilish music with 50’s dance moves in an incredibly experimental way, is something so unique about Rice and Roland’s gift to the theatre scene.
This is the future of theatre, brimming with absurdism at every opportunity. There is something addictive about their performance quality that leaves you wanting more, as though the one-hour performance slot just isn’t enough to soak in the full spectrum of magic they evoke. They bring energy and purpose to every minute they are onstage and certainly know how to stir fan theories of secret script subtext bubbling amongst audiences as they leave the theatre. Catch them before they bring their show back to America, you will simply regret not getting the chance to see the magic they make onstage.
Rice and Roland are once again pushing the boundaries of theatre with care and flare – and you seriously don’t want to miss it.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Heidi Downing
