Delightfully Delicious

(And not at all fattening!)
Cake

This is possible one of the most perfect theatre shows I have ever had the pleasure of watching.

Upon entering the tiny Tower Theatre at the CUB Malthouse I was advised to 'mind the cupcakes' as i crossed the flour-covered stage floor in search of a seat. My inside information had told me to sit in the front row to increase my chances of receiving one of the little tasty treats. I chose a seat and plonked myself in the rustic wooden chair, entranced by the two women in the space, dressed in satin shirts and brocade skirts - as textured as the kitchen table, the old cottage furniture that made up the set - singing Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake at a barely audible whisper. When the 80 seat theatre was filled, the story began with no great fanfare, just an organic shift from song to speech.

This is solo (almost) theatre at its best. From the first secretive confession of a woman at a loss in her own kitchen, Astrid Pill had her small audience in the palm of her hand. Moving from first to third person, switching from intimate confession to humorous recounting, to joyful song, to expression bordering on dance, she led us through love, loss and, most noticeably, longing. Never for a moment did I feel disconnected from this woman, from her multiplicitous story, from her openness. Zoe Barry, the other woman on stage, perfectly complimented Pill at all times, echoing the story through music and movement and occasionally providing another voice for a character, or for the woman herself as she argues with herself or watches herself from a distance. Barry is never a distraction, but an extension of Pill and the story.

The story is complicated and I don't doubt that every person took away a different feeling, a different message. But it is the sort of story one can relate to in some way - disappointment, frustration, joy, desire, jealousy, anxiety, embarrassment - Pill takes us through a myriad of emotions in a very truthful and unassuming way.

I left the show feeling full and hungry at the same time. My appetite had been whetted, but my senses and my emotions had been sated. I was filled to the brim with joy and wonder at this incredibly intimate show. And while the cakes were wonderful (I was lucky enough to nab one), it was the feeding of my soul, heart and mind that I truly savoured.

Waiting in the Wings
Jen