Georgie Wedge makes poetry sexy again in this impressive debut.
Playing at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, Georgie Wedge brings her one-woman show Per-Verse for a limited London run after debuting at the Edinburgh Fringe. The thought of another biographic one-hander can cause some to writhe with good reason. Wedge, however, isn’t giving us an evening of warts and all monologues in any old way, no, she does it all through poetry. Now, some may be even more put off at this proposal, but Wedge manages to deliver a short, charming work that breathes new life to the typical Fringey confessional with break-neck poetic punnery.
Per-Verse is a fast paced romp through an everywoman’s dating life. Beginning at a brunch, Wedge begins to go into performance mode as she regales her gal-pals with her tale of the most recent sexual exploit. She goes into meticulous detail — as is customary at these boozy brunches — with each new discovery unlocking the memory of a past encounter. It’s Inception levels of story building, but Wedge maintains a strong sense of clarity.
Her poetic delivery becomes more obvious as we delve further into the past, and when rudely interrupted by the voiceover of an uninterested friend, she snaps back to the brunch in a more pedestrian meter. This manner of storytelling is not just a gimmick to get bums on seats at your local fringe festival. It is also an examination of the need we feel to glamourise and romanticise our humdrum lives into something exciting, a performance — especially when bottomless drinks are involved. Wedge often cringes when she is awkward and smirks when she procures the perfect punchline, like her need to perform holds her body hostage.
Wedge succeeds in never taking herself too seriously in her poetic style: a mix of lofty Rupi Kaur metaphors and speedy John Cooper Clark wordplay, all presented with a sense of referential irony — stereotypical slam tropes are employed for extra comedic effect. What really stands out however is the physicality. Wedge, with just an expression, is able to switch between fuck-boys, STI clinicians, or her many exaggerated alter egos with brisk ease. Her quick asides and wall-breaking eludes to an innate savviness, she is seemingly always thinking on her toes, shooting at the hip with the next zinger.
We learn this is her first ever show that she’s written, which is quite an impressive feat, it’s a huge amount of detailed material and evidently took a lot of prosaic smarts to make. Georgie Wedge, with Per-Verse, demonstrates her all her canny wit and potential with this endearing piece. I snap my fingers in approval.