UCL Shows Review: Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again.

Illustration by Fatima Jafar

Laura Toms reviews the latest production by UCL Drama Society and UCL Stage Crew, Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again., performing at the Bloomsbury Theatre on the 14th, 15th and 16th of November.

Purposeful, raw and confrontational, Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. is an experience that cannot be fully translated into words. Through seemingly independent vignettes, this production explores the depth and breadth of issues concerning gender.  We are shown a group of individuals coming to terms with a society that is often cruel and constantly unforgiving. This production is not something to leave at the theatre. It must be pondered over, empathised with, and ultimately acted upon. 

This is something you can’t help doing as the talent of the cast and production team is unforgettable. There must have been considerable challenges when faced with staging an eclectic array of scenes ranging from “Revolutionise the Language. (Invert it.)” to “Revolutionise the body. (Make it Sexually desirable Constantly)”. These are innovatively overcome by director Seren John-Wood, producer Cheryl Wang and set designer Mari Katsuno through the creation of moveable toilet blocks and the use of projection. Often a space where issues of gender and discrimination are discussed, the placing of the action inside the toilets helps to bring the various themes together. The clever use of overhead projection, constructed by Wang, helps ground each scene to its core idea - whether that be the revolutionising of language, marriage, the body, or work. 

One of the most exciting things about this production is its ability to jump between intimate and often tense scenes with a small number of actors to all out chaos created by the chorus. What John-Wood and movement director Alia Cachafeiro Maiz have done so beautifully is utilise movement and the breaking down of the actor’s language, as a means of heightening scenes that would have appeared “naturalistic”. This allows for a deeper and more meaningful consideration of the issues. Within the first scene we watch a couple discussing the power relationships within the sexual act, specifically who can “put” their genitalia on who. This tension is acted out both verbally, by the very talented Suhanya J de Saram and Gabriel Fagan, but also physically. Jamie Cottle and Lorcan Archibald confidently use the push and pull of each other’s hands, feet and body to convey the tension of power felt within the act of sex. 

The play’s monologues showcase some extremely powerful performances. Of particular note is Elizabeth Brierley’s, speech that conveys the fear of becoming property, Nandini Bulchandani’s depiction of the internal turmoil caused by familial connections with domestic violence, Ophelia Vignalou’s moving speech that transforms the body into a battleground and Jamie Cottle’s powerfully delivered monologue about piss in the theatre. The rapport between cast members is also clear. You need not look further than “Revolutionise the work. (Engage With it.)” in which we see a female employer trying to negotiate a day off work. Lorcan Archibald’s depiction of a boss crazed by his obsession with maintaining a “fun working environment” is contrasted by Holly Sullivan’s sarcastic, dry, and exhausted manner. 

Photography by Dione Lemoni

A strongpoint of this production is the way in which the chorus functions. They are at once seamless set changers and a scintillating ball of energy that hurtles the production to its conclusion. Within the final act John-Wood uses the chorus to propose the issues of how we speak to, for and about others.  This ultimately begs the question; Who has a valid voice? By layering language, dance and music (created by sound artist Felix Simpson-Orlebar and Sound Designer Sam Critchlow), the chorus produces a finale that is at once unsettling and energising. 

A blueprint of how we can change the world, Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again is exactly the sort of conversation that needs to occur. We are told that hope is not enough. An idea is not enough. We seem to have made a mistake along the way and its okay to be sad about that. But one thing is clear. We must all Revolt and if that doesn’t work, we must revolt again. This show is a perfect example of how theatre can confront and provoke, and is an experience not to be missed. UCL Drama Society and UCL Stage Crew really are a talented bunch.