Review: BREATHLESS, Soho Theatre

It's been a strong few months for Edinburgh Fringe transfers at Soho Theatre, and Fringe First winner Breathless is no exception. Written by Laura Horton based on her own experience, the show shines a light on the real life consequences of hoarding through a touching, warm-hearted one-woman show.

Breathless follows Sophie, a journalist in her late thirties who has left London and moved back to her parents' house. She's decided to start dating women, and the show begins with her on a date with Jo, a chef - as the date draws to a close, Sophie fumbles with excuses as to why Jo can't come back to her flat. Her secret? The flat is overflowing with dresses, skirts, shoes, trousers. Sophie struggles with hoarding. But this is something she herself has not yet truly come to terms with.

Madeleine MacMahon's performance as Sophie is one that really grows on you. While at first she can come across as a little twee, bouncing around the stage in dungarees and pink socks, MacMahon demonstrates her impressive ability to tell a story, holding the audience's attention throughout and handling changes in tone smoothly and confidently.

It's this ability to tell a story that makes the show a success. Breathless is at times very descriptive, telling rather than showing, but MacMahon brings the world of sample sales to life with a captivating twinkle in her eye. We can almost see the rails of designer dresses, the bustling queues, the soft jazz and free fizz.

Objectively, this is an extremely well-written play. The structure and pacing are spot on, unveiling information gradually in a way that makes the seventy-minute run time race by. There's a delicate balance of comedy and poignancy, and it's clear that the show has come from a place of real truth and care.

Its only issue is that in the never-ending sea of one-person plays, Breathless doesn't quite stand out as much as it could. Its commitment to balancing humour and emotion means it's neither the funniest show out there or the most moving. The writing, while excellent, doesn't feel intrinsically theatrical; it's remarkably close in tone and structure to Horton's journalistic writing about her story. This isn't necessarily negative, it just feels as though the theatrical possibilities of the story haven't quite been fully explored.

The sound design, however, by Holly Harbottle, goes a way towards this, introducing sounds of breathing throughout the play to intensify moments of both sexuality and of panic. It's a nice touch, and brings the show's title into focus.

The show's exploration of hoarding is a really valuable one, presented with nuance and tenderness, raising awareness without feeling forced or preachy. This shouldn't entirely overshadow the play's presentation of queerness, however, which also offers something rarely seen onstage. Sophie is a bisexual woman in her thirties - we rarely see queer women out of their twenties onstage or screen in the present day, with a lot of sapphic representation focussing on historical stories. Horton writes queerness honestly, without fuss.

Director Stephanie Kempson keeps the show dynamic, using the set of clothing rails well to create a feeling of claustrophobia and intensity when needed. The set doesn't always make sense - the rails and hangers are almost all empty, so when a couple of items are produced this feels a little too random, but it's a strong concept and one that aids the story.

Breathless is a near perfectly constructed show, unpicking an important subject with truly engaging storytelling and real heart. This is yet another Soho Theatre Fringe transfer very much worth seeing.

Breathless runs at Soho Theatre until 18 February

Photo Credit: Chris Vaughan