This one-woman show is a candid account of a lifetime's odyssey of love and sex. With the aim of exploring the 'emotional payback' of physical desires, Alison Goldie goes back in time to meet her 14-year-old self. Naive, and on the brink of sexual awakening, soon her younger self is 'on fire with lust' and about to embark upon a long journey of sexual discovery.

A single orange chair on stage, some clever lighting and snatches of the occasional well-chosen pop song are all Alison Goldie has to draw on to recount this journey. Using an extensive repertoire of accents, facial expressions and skilful movements, Alison Goldie convincingly portrays all the characters, from birds in the branches of the trees of Central Park, to an international array of lovers and friends, to an old white horse on a Spanish hilltop.

It is in the nature of the material that this is adult entertainment, but while one energetic re-enactment of a night of passion in an old Greek windmill may be close to the edge for some, it is testament to her skill as a performer that she does not overstep their mark.

At times very funny, sometimes uncomfortable, and occasionally sad, there is the sense that there is something quixotic about the journey. But Alison Goldie is not afraid to let her younger self know that there are no real answers, that it is precisely this journey, rather than any destination, that ultimately matters. This is difficult material, skilfully and honestly rendered, with some unexpected magic at the end.

Cast Credits: Alison Goldie.

Company Credits: Writer - Alison Goldie. Director - Laura Lloyd. Lighting Designer - uncredited. Sound Designer - uncredited. Technical Operator - Jon Bradley. Venue Technician - Ashely Bolitho. Producer - Alison Goldie. Company - The Weird Sisters.

END

(c) Adam Elston 2009

reviewed Friday 14 August 2009 / Etcetera Theatre, Camden

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com