Not Stalking David Tenant is a series of 4 characters created by Emma Hutchins exploring the female obsession with having it all. With the current trend for women to have a successful career, social life and family, each character shows the flip side in trying to tick all the boxes.

It's a script with promise and with three cleverly-conceived characters, but with a fourth that simply doesn't fit with the others. Emma Hutchins has created 4 interesting characters. But in performance there were far too many similar physical traits in each to make the whole believable. Each of the three monologues was crafted with the right blend of comic seriousness even if the delivery didn't always match.

Helen is a high-powered executive in her 40s seeing her counsellor. The perfect timing of the recorded voice-over of the counsellor should be mentioned. Helen is yearning for children and regretting her choice to focus on career first. She chats about her family and their choices, and a sense of sadness creeps over the character, provoking consideration of the choices needed in life. Jen is a loud-mouthed, egotistical bird, who knows she looks good. She prepares smugly for a party as she talks about putting the effort in to look great.

The programme explains that the character Isabel was created using the Japanese physical theatre/dance form Butoh, which believes that each movement on stage must come from an emotional truth. Nevertheless, this particular segment comes completely out of the blue and unfortunately, in spite of the performer's best efforts, ruins the overall atmosphere of her show.

Louise is a teacher who leaves her best friend's engagement party to run home and watch a taped episode of Dr Who, but she is definitely Not Stalking David Tennant. The concept of Louise, like the other characters is genius. It cleverly looks into popular TV culture from the aspect of how, when unhappy, it's easy to become fixated with the false world of TV.

There may be first-night nerves, but often Emma Hutchins's acting tonight shows a nervousness that doesn't belong to the characters, which can be infectious. Her first character starts very strong, but similar physical tendencies of looking down, flaring her eyes and sniffing continuously make it difficult to believe in the resulting characters.

It can be problematic for a performer, however experienced, to act her own work without an external director, or an outside eye. Not Stalking David Tennant suggests that Emma Hutchins has the ability to get it very right with the talent she has. But her skill as a writer might really shine in the hands of an equally skilled director and actress.

Cast Credits: Emma Hutchins – Helen, Isabel, Jen, Louise.

Company Credits: Writer/Director/Producer – Emma Hutchins. Technical Operator - uncredited. Producer – Not Stalking David Tenant Productions. Camden Fringe Credits: Directors (alpha order): Zena Barrie, Michelle Flower. Box Office: Etcetera Theatre - Malcolm Keen; Liberties - Martin Donnelly.

END

(c) Jemma Gross 2007

reviewed Saturday 18 August 07 / Etcetera Theatre

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008