#TheSpace@SurgeonsHall | Get Your Coats On

“Mia Pelosi’s wryly witty script dances between sarcastic wisecracking and angst-ridden emotion.”

Set in a supermarket in upstate New York, this character-driven comic drama explores the lives of five young women who find themselves trapped there overnight due to a blizzard. As the evening develops, awkward conversations and unexpected revelations reveal that they all know each other. Mia Pelosi’s wryly witty script dances between sarcastic wisecracking and angst-ridden emotion, whilst Ellie Aslanian’s direction presents us with a tight, pacy, well-structured production in the Stephenson Theatre: a small, intimate black-box studio in TheSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall.

Pelosi also plays the feisty manager of the supermarket, whose dull night shift is transformed by the arrival of four customers blown in by the storm outside. The first to arrive is Dove, a quiet, waif-like and seemingly reserved young woman; well wrapped-up against the harsh weather, she dismisses Rose’s offers of assistance. Then, Summer, a cheerful regular customer with a sweet tooth who has struck up a friendship with Rose, pops in for a chat. Next, June, a bubbly child-woman, bounces in seeking the Vegan Aisle. So far, so mysterious; but there is a sudden frisson when the statuesque Peyton arrives and there is a shock of recognition from Rose.

At this point, a brief power cut heralds the suspension of normal life and Rose invites her customers to shelter in the store overnight. As the women reluctantly settle in for the inevitable forced socialising that the circumstances demand, one mischievously suggests a game of Truth or Dare as a way to get to know each other. No plot spoilers here, but as the evening progresses, they all realise that, for various reasons, they have shared backgrounds involving high school, college, and quite a lot of sex. This situation of young women being trapped in the equivalent of a confessional adolescent sleepover quickly breaks down the psychological inhibitions of adulthood with embarrassingly revealing consequences and a number of laugh-out-loud moments.

Even as the game ends, the dramatic energy released by the exposed secrets drives a spiralling dynamic of seething emotion and dark humour as ex-high school peers are forced to reconfront the unresolved flings and mistakes of their teenage years. As a 66 year-old male reviewer, I’m always intrigued to glimpse insights into the female psyche offered by shows such as this. Were I in any doubt about the veracity of those on offer here, it was quickly dispelled by the shrieks of laughter from women around me in the audience. (Us guys loved it all, too.)

June’s childlike artlessness – hilariously conveyed by Ariana Perez’s wide-eyed exuberance and comically mobile face – is shown to be a mask for her character’s desperate search for an identity in life (currently veganism). Megan Higley subtly reveals the enigmatic Dove to be a case of still waters running very deep. Caitlin Kresta engagingly shows the uptight Peyton gradually lowering her guardrail and facing up to the fallout from her past. Jamilah Rosemond presents Summer as a deceptively knowing and shrewd young woman, bemused by her strange new companions, whilst probably being the most based person in the room. As Rose, Mia Pelosi is the driving force of the action and the humour, both with the group and in a couple of revealing private conversations with two of her unexpected visitors.

In a Fringe theatre list increasingly dominated by single-handed shows and knockabout comedies, this penetrating and nuanced comic ensemble piece is a welcome breath of fresh air. It runs until 23rd August, but in a relatively small auditorium tickets will sell out quickly, so get yours booked early!