Review: BEARABLE SEQUENCE, Golden Goose Theatre

Theatre can be used for many things: to spark joy, stir emotions, become an escape. But it can also be used as a warning. A harsh and cold warning that, if told in the right way, can start a movement of realisations. 

Even if you’ve never seen it, read it, or experienced it, the words ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ are enough to wake up a movement. A reality that is, dare I say it, closer to our own now more than ever before. 

Léona McClay’s newest play, Bearable Sequence, is almost an extension of the world created by Handmaid’s Tale’s author, Margaret Atwood. With harsh truths and a raw look at the way society is seemingly headed, the play is leaving audiences with a mouthful of painful revelations to swallow (that is unless you’re one of those who have seen this coming for a long time). 

Trapped in a ‘unit’, girls with the ‘best characteristics’ are pushed to their limits training in maths, English, physical activities, amongst others, all while being stripped of their memories of simply who they are. Set in a ‘dystopian’ world, albeit not as dystopian as one may think, five young people are watched under the careful eye of Ma - a woman with an eerie falsehood of love and the ability to switch on you in a moment. 

The purpose of these units is unclear to the teenagers inhabiting it, but one thing is for sure: they’re in there together… Or at least until they forget about each other’s existence. Used as a breeding ground for the future of society, the girls that are chosen must follow the rules down to the minor detail, or the consequences they face are deadly. 

Living in a world where the government is trying to erase any signs of Queer and gender-nonconforming individuals through deadly methods, the characters' journeys become warnings to audience members of the closeness this once fictional world is to our own. 

McClay stars as the leading character, Ro - a girl with a spirit as headstrong as she is. With the ability to break the fourth wall and zone into the audience's personal space to really make sure they are listening, McClay is able to create an atmosphere that has audience members averting their eyes. Writing your own play and then starring in it is something that not many people can claim to do. I really enjoyed McClay’s script and felt the dialogue between the characters was pretty authentic. Moments where they just sit down, scattered around the stage, felt like genuine girlhood, being with your friends and just talking without a filter in a way that makes us human. 

Despite the show being a ‘work-in-progress’, the script is definitely established. However, the fourth-wall moments from Ro, despite being powerful, at times felt performative rather than this is her genuinely making a political and vital stance.

McClay’s acting in the role was very dynamic and you could tell she had a lot of love in the character, making Ro and McClay one in the same. A very enjoyable watch. McClay has gained a new fan of her writing for sure. 

Direction by the incredibly talented pairing of Ellie McCoy and Sarah Wong ties the piece together flawlessly. Bearable Sequence marks both of their directorial debuts - and what a strong one it is. I’m of the firm belief that you don’t need to do too much with a good script to make it powerful. This play proves that. The use of changing angles and facing sides really helps everyone to feel included and have a good viewing experience regardless of where they sit.

 Having an entire AFAB (Assigned Female At Birth) creative team in both the cast and crew is something that is almost unheard of in the theatre scene. But with subject matters such as the ones in this play, it was undeniable to anyone who watched it how much love and care went into piecing it all together. It was a cautionary tale told by those who would be the ones forced to live the reality unless something is done now. Hauntingly beautiful and captivating. 

Beatriz Do Ó plays Be, the first of our characters to be taken. She is undeniably the back-bone of the initial group. Providing comfort to the youngest of the group, Fi, played by Lydia Whitehead. Do Ó creates a calming presence with her performance, a true nurturing spirit to directly contrast that of the fake reality created by Ma (Katy Slater). Although her presence is truly felt, her character of Be is on for the shortest amount of time. However, that is required to convince the audience how easily anyone can be forgotten in this world - even those who create the most space. A beautiful performance from the actor.

Whitehead is stunning as Fi - the ‘baby’. Her ability to play a fourteen-year-old is a really stellar watch. Her youthful, and almost naïve, spirit makes a brilliant parallel to the rest of the cast whose characters had endured this far longer than they knew. She is able to make audience members feel a form of protective nature over the character and almost empathise with her innocence. A highlight for sure.

The role of Su iss played by Alhena Al-Ali Douglas. A character I wish we had more time exploring, Su is the type of character you know has gone through hell and back but will constantly push it down for the sake of preserving others. Brash but caring.  Douglas’ monologue towards the end of the one-act play is, in truth, one of my favourite moments of the piece. Her truth and depth in her acting as she actively imagined the trauma she is describing in real-time allowed audience members to follow along with her easily and hang onto her every word.

The character whose pain stood out most for me was Em, played heartbreakingly by actor Gigi Downey. They perfectly encapsulated the experience of questioning your gender, all while pushing the boundaries of conformity. Downey broke and rebuilt my heart over and over again within the space of play, clearly having a deep connection with the source material. A truly remarkable performance.

Completing the cast is Katy Slater in the role of Ma. Do not let her name fool you, Ma is nothing of a maternal figure. Pushing the constraints on the girls and being the kind of woman that will make your heart ache with confusion over why would she put young people of her own gender through this, Ma is a woman of many gifts in manipulation, mass trauma, and murder. I was intrigued with Slater’s performance from start to finish, and really had to stop myself from falling into her trap of debating her morality. Incredibly acted and a perfect balance with the younger cast members. 

All in all, Bearable Sequence was a very thought provoking and raw piece about a not so distant future. Do I think elements need to be hashed out more and have a few layers added. Potentially, as this piece, along with the fight it is fighting, is not quite finished yet. This exceptionally promising play is something I think needs to be sat with for a while to fully immerse yourself in the understanding of it. 

Bearable Sequence plays at the Golden Goose Theatre until the 15  May.

Photo credits: Emily Foxton.