5 Lesbians eating a Quiche
Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood
Directed by Holly Causer
Tower Theatre, Stoke Newington
Star rating: 3.5
It’s 1950s America and this 2012 play has a lot of fun satirising it along with dresses and shoes (costumes by Kate Els) which catch the mood nicely.
Five women, members of the Susan B Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein and having their annual quiche breakfast which is a competitive event. The motto is “No men. No meat, All Manners” and there’s an anthem. Thus we are somewhere between the WI and the Suffragette movement presented with that smiley, all-American faux-innocent, enthusiasm which grates on many taciturn Brits. And these five actors have that mood nailed as they address the theatre audience and single people out as if they were the members of the meeting.
The point of course – the clue is in the title – that these quite disparate women profess to be widows but are actually secret gays. In some cases they haven’t acknowledged the truth even to themselves. At one level it’s a play about coming out – especially when the going gets difficult because air raid sirens signal a nuclear attack and they know they will be closeted together for four years. It is possible that they are the only survivors.
At another level it’s a pretty funny comedy which gets ever more outrageous as it works through its 70 minute span. The moment at which Clara Caughan as Ginny buries her face in a quiche while … err .. interesting things happen to her body is hilarious. Much of the humour though comes from fine timing and the use of facial expression. All five actors and their director, Holly Causer, who isn’t afraid of eloquent silence, work well together – especially when the revelations start to emerge.
It’s a strong cast although the American accents (apart from Caughan whose character comes from Yorkshire,) are patchily inconsistent. There is, however, an outstanding performance from Olivia Peacock as Dale. Her accent is beautifully sustained and she lights the stage wherever she is on it.
