EDINBURGH 2021: Review: AS BRITISH AS A WATERMELON, Summerhall Online
EDINBURGH 2021: BWW Review: AS BRITISH AS A WATERMELON, Summerhall Online
As British As A Watermelon begins with mandla rae explaining that they gave themselves their name. It means power. rae goes on to describe migrating to Scotland and says they didn't know they were illegal.
rae describes relatives being deported and living with people who pretended to be rae's parents. Throughout the piece, rae moves around the stage carving up watermelons. Some are delicately sliced, some obliterated and others repeatedly stabbed.
Born Bridget, rae questions "how colonised do you have to be to name your African baby Bridget". The monologue is poetic and beautiful, weaving together rae's fragmented memories of migration and how they came to carve out their own identity. As British As A Watermelon also looks at queer identity and the intrusive questions rae has had to face.
The quality of the digital production is exceptional. Before publishing my review, I had a brief look through some that were written about an in-person performance in early 2020 and it seemed the smell of the watermelons had a strong impact. However, I didn't feel like anything was lost during the translation to digital production as this comes across as a very powerful piece.
As British As A Watermelon is available on demand from 6 August.
Reader Reviews
Get Broadway News on WhatsApp
Receive the latest updates, breaking news, and exclusive coverage from Broadway directly in WhatsApp.
Videos
|
Disney''s Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert Usher Hall (12/03-12/03) |
|
Mark Thomas: 40 In Stand Up Years The Stand 1 (9/23-9/23) |
|
Glob Underbelly (McEwan Hall) (8/05-8/30) |
|
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Alhambra Theatre (10/07-10/10) |
|
Shamilton! The Improvised Hip Hop Musical Assembly George Square Studios - One (8/05-8/30) |
|
How Not to Make it in America Summerhall (Former Gent’s Locker Room) (8/06-8/31) |
|
Glass Child Summerhall (Old Lab) (8/06-8/16) |
|
Mark Thomas: 40 In Stand Up Years The Stand 1 (8/05-8/30) |
|
Baby Wants Candy Assembly George Square Studios - One (8/05-8/30) |
|
Sapphire McIntosh: Squeaky Bum Time Unerbelly Bristo Square - Daisy Room (8/05-8/30) |
| VIEW ALL SHOWS ADD A SHOW | |
