A high-octane telling of one woman’s determination for internet success
“The promised land: a happy place on the internet”. With millions of adoring followers, luxurious brand deals and the ability to travel the world, a career online seems like a no-brainer. Yet the pressures to keep up appearances and create trailblazing content can intensify – often to unmanageable points. It begs the question: why do so many strive for internet fame? Enter Bloody Influencers, the tale of Croatian influencer Lucija Antonija Matic’s steadfast determination to create a successful career on Instagram. Written by Ena Begović and Ben Mansbridge, this energetic one-woman piece spotlights the highs and lows of influencer culture with dark comedy and under-the-surface criticism.
As the audience arrived and took their seats, Lucija introduced herself as Daisy Woolworth, the pseudonym she uses to appeal to a wider online audience of English speakers. With a wide smile and phone in hand, she encouraged people to join her onstage and take pictures together, ensued by endless self-promotion to “follow me, @daisy_beautyme!” If you go on Instagram, a corresponding social media profile has been created – an innovative use of the play’s subject matter to break the fourth wall. In this opening sequence, Daisy established herself as a hugely likeable character with a penchant for selfies, setting a lively tone for the rest of the performance.
There was well-timed comedy executed throughout the show: generational differences between influencers and “boomers”, Daisy’s dissatisfactory sex life, dark humour about the royal family or the resurrection of ancient social media platform, Myspace. Begović brought the script to life with enthusiasm, balancing Daisy’s upbeat and driven charisma with Lucija’s sensitive, authentic self. Her performance was focused and eloquent: I felt equally as drawn to her animated dance routines to chart-topping anthems as I felt sympathy to her quieter moments of contemplation, effectively backdropped by classical music.
At points the script felt a little obvious and juvenile, for example the comparison of our addiction to social media to substance abuse, or the protagonist’s rivalry with her “perfect” older sister. I’d also argue that the climax of the piece – Daisy’s self-inflicted vehicular accident – felt far-fetched and rushed. Perhaps a steadier decline to mental suffering might have been a more poignant choice for the purpose of the piece. That being said, it highlighted the psychological distress and irrational thinking caused by social media – a very real issue in today’s society and one well-worth showcasing. Furthermore, it is to be commended the amount of narrative told within a comparatively short running time of 50 minutes.
Baron’s Court Theatre’s in-the-round layout worked well for the show. With three sides of the audience facing Daisy, there was a real sense that ‘all eyes were on her’ – much like the lens of social media. Director Sofia Zaragoza made excellent use of the space, with Daisy occupying every corner of the stage at different points in the performance. It was most effective during moments of discomfort, where Daisy’s corner positioning created a sense of claustrophobia and anxiety. There was also inventive use of projection, such as a livestream which witnessed her spousal tensions or a YouTube video addressing internet trolls. With these videos shown on the back wall, additional status was given to the medium of digital storytelling. Additionally, the best sound effects were the incessant pings of Daisy’s phone notifications – an all-too familiar sound that served as a constant reminder of her online popularity.
Bloody Influencers is a commendable effort from Ben Mansbridge and Ena Begović for their playwriting debut. Instagram has had us in its grip for more than a decade now, and it’s never felt more timely to question the craze of influencer culture forged on the platform. Though the writing was predictable (it’s not a particularly revelatory stance to be critical of social media), the dark comedy and Begović’s upbeat performance were highly enjoyed by the audience. The play had a satisfying conclusion, with Daisy speaking to the audience as if we were in a group counselling session. It certainly prompted me to question my own relationship with internet celebrities. After all, what is compelling writing and performance if not to challenge the ways we view ourselves in the world?
Reviewer: Maria Ansdell