A humorous, quirky and nostalgically authentic take on long-term friendship and girlhood.
Alcohol disguised in plastic fizzy drink bottles, the yellow iPhone 5c and the sweet sounds of “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz – Tit(s) for Tat does a great job of bringing me back to my adolescence where the biggest concern I had was which top and jeans I was going to wear to whatever party was happening that night.
“Five girls, one friendship and an afternoon at therapy!” is how the show is described by writer Katie Suitor who also plays one of the five friends, Rosie. The show gives us a glimpse of their story by jumping between a present day therapy session and specific moments in the past throughout their 13 year long friendship.
Each character in the group of five has their own distinct personality traits and the actors that play them are able to naturally tap into their idiosyncratic roles. As an ensemble they are dynamic, provide contrast and most importantly are incredibly comical.
The Courtyard Theatre is quite intimate and the show uses this to its advantage by making the performance borderline immersive. There are several moments in the show where the actors interact with the audience so fair warning if you sit in the front row – expect intense eye-contact, to be high-fived and/or to act as Fanny the therapist. As nerve-wracking as that might sound, it adds a super fun element to the show and keeps you on your toes and paying attention.
In terms of storyline I was left wanting more. The show runs for about 50 minutes however the time flies. Understandably the show is short however I’d have liked a little more insight into the friendship and what exactly had brought them to therapy. There are moments in the show that tease these heavy plot-points but it still feels unclear. Simply, the story lacks depth. In addition, the girls’ personalities in the present day are exactly as they are throughout the 13 years of friendship and show no growth (for better or for worse) which I was a bit confused by as people naturally change overtime, even if just a little.
Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I am excited to see what Knockout Productions has in store. The three creators of Knockout Productions (Katie Suitor, Eva Ceroni Marti, Alice Keller) all star in the show and their ethos as a professional arts company is comedy that is produced, written and performed by women. As Tit(s) for Tat is only their second production since their inception I acknowledge and commend these budding creators and look forward to what they come up with next.
REVIEWER: Anastasia Papas