Review

January 20th 2004

The Place, London

Beginning with a stalker’s view of four women through their paradoxically shuttered yet exposed existence, “Lounge Living” is a theatrical satire exploring the archetypal roles of four elemental women. The piece is cute, sassy and gender-political performed in a great set with the colour, character quirks and brashness of a Ben Elton novel.

The voice over, in a David Bellamy style nature documentary details the physiological, psychological and banal exploits of four women with the neurotic detail of an obsessive as obsessed as the subject itself. He informs us of the percentage of verbal and gestural communication used by women and comments on the perplexing realms of the distortion of the self – chemicals in the hair and on the face and wonderbras. Despite a brief mention, the concept of ‘survival of the fittest’ isn’t really an issue – rather all the women are encapsulated, demonstrated, explored and celebrated. It is witty and fast paced with an emphasis on theatricality rather than dance.

Comic stereotype is skirted around but not succumbed to – we see a girl on the phone twiddling the cord between her fingers; told of a latte that saves the day; and there is a token hippy with a tea cloth on her head. However, chocolate and coffee are merely skimmed over so that characters are kept, at least in their relationship with one another, fairly neutral. Perhaps this is to appease the feminists who will not be classified into the typecast characteristics of fire, air, water and earth, or to keep from shunning male viewers. Perhaps with such quirky, obvious characters, more melodrama and flounce would be acceptable in order to add to the satire and irony, which are the most entertaining elements of the piece.

Katie Phillips
The Place, London