@ Summerhall, Edinburgh, until Sun 30 Aug @ 14:00
Sh!t Theatre are a company that have made the trip up to the Edinburgh Fringe on several occasions. This year they are back at the Anatomy Lecture Theatre in Summerhall with a comedic and musical look at how women are portrayed in the media.
Women’s Hour is delivered at a fast pace with comedy musical numbers, video projections and jokes scattered throughout the performance. It’s a theatre show with a strong message and the two engaging performers (Becca and Louise) are clearly passionate about the important and pertinent subject matter. They perform wearing white face paint, but they are not clowns in the traditional sense. In fact the open and endearing personalities of the performers makes the hour feel enjoyable and significant.
The show is based on a premise that Sh!t Theatre were asked by the male organiser of a feminist Arts Festival (called ‘Calm Down Dear‘) to come up with an hour long show. The result is Women’s Hour and the performers tackles the subject with verve, style and with an eye and ear for comedy. The performance follows the format of the Women’s Hour radio show, except in a seemingly haphazard and spontaneous manner. This adds to rapid fire nature of the show, but it also conveys the brevity and significance of the performance. They tackle politics, motherhood and the media in a satirical tone that goes down well with the audience.
Women’s Hour is an important show that is perfectly paced. Becca and Louise aren’t afraid to tackle issues head on and are bold and expressive in the methods they use to present their ideas. It’s comedy theatre at its best, where music and performance art combine to educate, entertain and inform opinions.