“Kimmings commands the stage in this approachable piece of ecocriticism with an effective heart”
There was a truly buzzing atmosphere at Soho Theatre’s Walthamstow venue on Tuesday night, ahead of Bryony Kimmings’ performance of Bog Witch. With faces familiar and new, it’s clear there was an undeniable excitement around Kimming’s new show, drawing crowds from across the city to the new venue in East London.
For all it’s worth, it must be said that Bog Witch was worth the journey, and Kimmings’ work once again lives up to the hype.
In her usual autobiographical style Kimmings traces a recent part of her life moving from her over-consumptive lifestyle in the city to live with her eco-warrior partner and their children in the countryside. She engages with the traits of modern day overconsumption with a humour that felt like a commonality in the room. Particularly noting the want to shop at all the middle class staples—TOAST, Selfridges and Waitrose are all name dropped—has the potential to isolate the play in its references, but ultimately it just admits Kimming’s positionality as the kind of person who finds pleasure indulging in these markets. Kimmings also makes an effort to educate audiences on the climate crisis in a way that is integrated with this humour, making its content far more accessible, which has incredible utility.
The comedy of the play is found in these more expected places, but the heart of it comes from somewhere more surprising. Without giving too much away, the darker moments do not beg to be heard, but happen incredibly naturally, making nature itself at once disturbing and familiar. Kimmings doesn’t deny that Bog Witch, at least narratively, is a relatively self-centred endeavour, but she makes it a piece that thoughtfully expands its understanding into its local community, both within the play and the theatre itself. This is something it does in spite of this proclaimed self-centredness. The wrestling of self-interest versus communal interest has historically, always been contested. Kimmings’ work suggests that both can exist simultaneously—a personal narrative and a communal one.
It helps that Bog Witch is assisted by some stellar design choices. The lighting, designed by Guy Hoare, involved some great use of shadows to create a real looming sense on stage at some moments, and at others a sense of pace and dizziness. The sound, designed by Lewis Gibson, was incredibly attentive to Kimmings’ performance, with effects on her mic switching from phone calls to large echoes, as well as an excellent storm scene which really surrounded our hearing. The set, by Tom Rogers, was impressively fluid and utilised thoroughly. In fact, it is safe to say that this was the best use of the stage that Soho Theatre Walthamstow has seen so far. Considering its impressive interior and the popularity of Bog Witch, there is a clear case for more theatre like this to be put on at the venue. “I worry that I’m making it all about me, and then I think—I don’t care.” Kimmings says on stage surrounded by other people, all huddled together. Whether or not this is true isn’t the point. The image left upon the stage is one of empathy and togetherness, one which feels genuinely healing and, more importantly, invigorating.
Bog Witch is on at Soho Theatre Walthamstow until October 25th, with tickets available here.