Edinburgh 2002

Fringe

Fem
Komedia Roman Eagle Lodge

Dolan Cummings

Fem is a strange play about an odd couple.

Two women living together: one extrovert, sexually promiscuous, louche, the other introverted, fastidious, uptight. It has 'sitcom' written all over it. But Fem, a new play by Tom Bowtell, is a lot stranger than that.

First, the characters represent two opposing, but equally unhealthy, approaches to life and other people. The first has to believe that she is loved. By everybody. She flirts even with the audience, assuring us that she knows we all want her, and that the second character does too. The second refuses to believe that anybody could love her. She has learned her lesson from 'him' and she trusts nobody.

Second, the relationship is complicated by two external factors. One is the audience, which is addressed first just by the flirt, while the other refuses to believe we are there, and eventually by both characters. The other complication is the 'screen', a mysterious object which reverses the characters, seducing the prude and making the other jealous.

Technically the screen is not so impressive. As the flirt protests, it is just blobby. But it is a fascinating idea. It could be symbolic of our perception, of the allure of the unreal, or perhaps it is just about blobs. In any case it provides the drama and provokes the consummation of the relationship.

Without giving too much away, I will reveal that things do not end well. And I'm not sure that the play itself quite succeeds in pulling off some interesting ideas, but two likeable performances ensure that Fem is strange in a good way.

August 3-25: 20.40 (1hr 15mins)