“An intense, captivating exploration of femininity and sensuality”
Feminal is an eye-opening portrayal of womanhood. Through the medium of dance, with singing included in the latter part of the show, performer Becca Hoback conveys a story of repression and revelation. We see Hoback’s physicality, skilled yet folded in on itself, become more fluid and elongated as she realises the lengths to which she is allowed to go – that is, she breaks free from the notion of ‘what is allowed’. Her femininity, fighting to be seen, shines through on her face as well as in her body.
Feminal contains two stories. The first is ‘Initial Dissent’, choreographed by Hoback. Inspired by her strict religious upbringing, we watch Hoback’s transformation as her mind begins to divorce itself from its ideas of purity. The piece is suspenseful, gripping as a thriller would be; haunting, in a way. The experiences of women and girls have been explored in so many wonderful ways over the years, but Initial Dissent truly feels refreshing. It is exciting to watch the phenomenon of ‘seeing the light’ being conveyed by Hoback in such a visceral way.
The second story in Feminal is ‘A Girl’, choreographed by Roy Assaf in collaboration with Ariel Freedman. Where ‘Initial Dissent’ contained much smoother movements, ‘A Girl’ is rather sharp and bizarre. Hoback goes from singing to slapping parts of her body to kissing the air – all the carefree ways of a girl before her mind and body are tested in the most frightening ways. This piece is incredibly insightful, with touches of nostalgia; the more we learn about the world, the more we realise there is much to be sad about. Hoback screams the line “Girls just wanna have fun” until it becomes eerie and distressing. ‘A Girl’ is such a strong piece, so different from ‘Initial Dissent’ and yet a necessary accompaniment.
The lighting and sound design are stunning, every mark being hit to perfection! The dimming of the lights, the complete darkness, the colours, the echoes – everything is just as integral to Feminal as Hoback’s work is. Feminal is a ‘cool’ play, a social commentary that is not just gorgeous to watch for its technicalities, but genuinely interesting and worth recommending to all people. The choices of music and presence on the stage are incredibly well thought out by Hoback, and the Space Theatre technician Ally (whom I was pleasantly surprised to find out was only a student!) worked so well to bring Hoback’s story to life.
We had the privilege of being able to speak with Hoback after the show. She provided many fantastic insights that enhanced our interpretation and overall experience of Feminal. She spoke about the restrictions she has faced throughout her life – her conservative upbringing, the strict prestige of ballet, and the insecure need as a six-foot-tall woman to make herself smaller. Feminal is both unique and relatable. Hoback’s display of breaking free from the shackles of patriarchy is reminiscent of the realisations that all women have gone through. The stories are dark and yet enlightening. They are significant, very much worthy of being platformed.
I absolutely recommend Feminal to everyone, it is a fantastic show. Kudos to all involved! Feminal runs until 10th May at The Space Theatre. Tickets are available here.