• Advertise
  • Request Review
  • Write for Us
  • Privacy
  • Login

Theatre Bubble

The UK Theatre Network

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Features
  • Spotlight
  • Opinions
  • Interviews
  • Guides
  • Ed Fringe

RUFF at the Barbican Silk Street Theatre

April 15, 2016 by Alex Wood Leave a Comment

Review of: RUFF at the Barbican Silk Street Theatre
Produced by:
Split Britches, In Company Collective, Barbican
Price:
Various

Reviewed by: Alex Wood
Rating:
3
On April 15, 2016
Last modified:April 15, 2016

Summary:

RUFF was an empowering experience to watch and, whilst not having the edge it may have desired, was a tour-de-force from Peggy Shaw.

More Details

Split Britches has had a long, fascinating and illustrious existence over the last 30 years. Their involvement in the activist movement has meant their views, once entirely anti-establishment, have now slowly become a vital part of moral and social movements causing constitutional and international change. It’s a strange transformation of position for the group, and leaves their reputation hanging over this performance.

What is so surprising about RUFF therefore is how anti-political it is. This is a personal story – that of Peggy Shaw’s stroke, and the ensuing recovery and acceptance of circumstances. Their tone scathingly laced with humour – a blunt poeticism running through 80 minutes of monologue. It was the performance of a seasoned veteran, honed and crafted over months of preparation. Shaw works through mental and physical examination of their own predicament, evoking childhood memories, stray thoughts, and deeply moving musical interludes. Fundamentally, this was a show Shaw brought from her own intrinsic form, and often there were moments while Shaw spoke her lines (aided, understandably, by a set of screens) that we as the audience felt less immersed in the show and more simply witnesses to their performance.P22_PeggyShaw-1616_jpg_710x400_crop_q85

The technical flare and promise suggested by Shaw’s green screen was, unfortunately, slightly more underwhelming that expected given the giant strip of cloth that cut the stage in two – which, given modern cinematic expectations, almost held the promise of visual world bending and adaptation of the stage environment to become something all the more fantastical. As it turned out, the green screen served only as a projection board for Shaw’s ‘live’ band, who provided a refreshingly tongue-in-cheek accompaniment for the events onstage. The musical highlight had to be Shaw’s rendition of the Hokey Cokey (in the style of ACDC), a moment when they seemed to bound around with a hidden stash of energy.

Despite losing its political edge and emerging as a personal story, the lyricism within Shaw’s account of the stroke is remarkable. This was matched by some fantastic one liners fit for the progressive audiences Split Britches always attract – take, for example: ‘when I went into hospital I was a woman mistaken for a man, when I came out I guess I was a straight white guy cuz half my brain was missing’. Other witty lines about being a butch lesbian evoked similar reactions.

The best way to surmise the performance was to say that Shaw has allowed themselves not to be defined by their stroke, but instead defined the stroke as they saw fit. Through various metaphors it became an icicle, her own younger self, or her own sister. It was an empowering experience to watch and, whilst not having the edge or consistent immersion it may have desired, was a tour-de-force from Shaw.

Written by Peggy Shaw and Lois Weaver
Performed by Peggy Shaw
Directed by Lois Weaver
Music and sound by Vivian Stoll
Set and media design by Matt Delbridge
Lighting design and video photography by Lori E Seid
Production Manager Jo Palmer
Produced by In Company Collective
Music by Antonia Abramova, Maggie Connell, Missy Connell, Ellie Covan, Terry Dame, Sharon Jane Smith and Vivian Stoll with Deadly Nightshade.

Presented by the Barbican.

Alex Wood

Author: Alex Wood

Alex is the former reviews editor at Theatre Bubble, but since changing position now contributes occasionally. He has been writing reviews for a number of years, as well as seeing his own shows performed. He has produced and marketed a number of performances at venues in London, Oxford, Edinburgh, including the world premiere of Philip Pullman's The Ruby in the Smoke.

Filed Under: Review Tagged With: Barbican, Peggy Shaw, Ruff, Split Britches

Join the discussion Cancel reply

INTERVIEW / Gavin Maxwell and William Townsend talk Anthropocene

Launching on this year’s World Earth Day (Thursday 22nd April), Anthropocene: The Human Era is a digital choose-your-own adventure from [Read More]

NEWS / Thick ‘n’ Fast announce new show General Secretary

Who run the world? A satirically comic journey through power and diplomacy as two highly unqualified women are suddenly landed [Read More]

Guides / 5 Tools for Actors to Enter the Theatre World like a Pro

Becoming a successful actor is no small feat. Fortunately, for those interested in improving their acting skills, plenty of tools [Read More]

NEWS / Digital Theatre & Arts Micro Festival Living Roots

Hot in the heels of the debut Living Record Festival in January-February 2021, the Living Roots Festival launches 5th April. [Read More]

Hands Face & Empty Space / Abel Law on becoming a musical theatre student during COVID

On the 17th March, it will be exactly one year since UK theatre came to an overnight standstill. Every day [Read More]

Top Posts & Pages

  • Gavin Maxwell and William Townsend talk Anthropocene
  • 10 Tips to Help You Prepare for Your Reality TV Auditions
  • Alison Ford on maternity, redundancy and doing what's right
  • 5 Stage Elements to Consider for a Rousing Theatrical Production
  • Constellations- Bristol Old Vic
  • From where I was sat, Tom Hiddleston's Betrayal was a bit meh
  • Yasmin Paige on Actually
  • Nick Thompson new Executive Producer Reading Rep Theatre
  • Peter Pan at the National Theatre
  • Bridge Theatre announces 2019 Season
  • Alex Wood

    Alex Wood
    Contributor

  • April 15th, 2016
  • comment iconNo Comments
  • Facebook5TweetLinkedInEmail

    Newsletter

    Enjoyed what you've read? Get even more great content directly to your inbox - Completely Free

    About Theatre Bubble

    Theatre Bubble is the news, review and blogging site created by Blue Pie Media and run by a dedicated team of outstanding editors and writers: we're always looking for new contributors - to find out more click here.

    Contact Us

    News: news@theatrebubble.com
    Reviews: reviews@theatrebubble.com
    Website: webmaster@theatrebubble.com

    Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2021 · Blue Pie Media

    Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

    Email sent!