Created and performed by Lois-Amber Toole, SLAY follows Kit, a Geordie who flees her hometown for London as she works her way through living with PTSD and chronic main-character syndrome. It’s initially unclear as to what happened or why she will quite comically pepper spray any man who dares to even ask for directions, but slowly cracks in her personality start to open as we learn more about her trauma and vulnerable side. Toole executes the performance perfectly, bringing great energy and unhinged antics that accurately reflect that of a person whose trauma resurfaces as they are trying to move on but despite the solid acting, the story itself isn’t quite captivating enough.
There is a lot on offer here performance-wise, with some very well delivered lines that draw laughs from the audience, a point in the story where Kit describes she and her flatmates’ matching self defence items in such a nonchalant way is brilliant. The production itself is great too, with the contrast of ambient and sharp lighting contributing well to the immersion. The sound is also very importantly on point, used to move seamlessly between scenes, provide ambience and even contributes to the comedic side, functioning as “theme music” for certain characters which prompts Kit to break the fourth wall.
Ultimately, despite the great production and performance, the lack of character development by the end of the show makes investment in the story feel unrewarded. It definitely finishes on a positive note, but there isn’t a moment of great tension or climax that leads the audience to that point.
SLAY, 15:00 The Den at Gilded Balloon Teviot, Aug 5-16, 18-31
