TheABSURD | cultural online magazine for North Wales

"Kate’s well-written script has us literally laughing out loud, and yes physically cringing…"

L-R: William Huw, Kate Roberts, Sharon Jones & Sian George

Hacked Off

It’s Valentine’s Day this Saturday. Yes that’s the 14th of February for those of you lucky enough to forget - or who’ve been allowed to forget. Don’t get me wrong I love a bit of romance; I’ve been happily living in sin for some years now and plan for this to continue! It is love that makes the world go round after all – not money.

But I really really detest being dictated to by our horrid consumer culture just exactly how and when I should be romantic. In fact, if my relationship ever deteriorates to the point that we end up sat in some crappy restaurant each February 14th with a dozen other couples who look equally pained, then that is when I will know it’s time to call it a day. Nobody should have to endure such misery in the name of love – anybody who still feels even the slightest flicker of passion for their other half would not want to inflict this suffering on another human-being that they so claim to care about. And don’t even get me started on the endless tat that we’re expected to buy in order to truly profess our undying passion – how exhausting, how cheap, and how crap.

So it was with great anticipation that theAbsurd team (yes that’s Andy and I) headed off to Y Delyn wine bar, Mold, this Wednesday (11th) to see ‘Hacked Off’, a play from the Crimson Flower Theatre Company. This is the first offering from Ruthin based actor and performance poet Kate Roberts – and I truly hope that it won’t be her last.

Billed as ‘an antithesis to Valentine’s Day’, the play certainly lived up to expectations. This darkly comic tale of a woman attempting to exorcise the ghost of a past romance had the audience laughing, cringing and gasping through the entire performance.

Actors Kate Roberts, Sharon Jones and William Huw read their parts sitting on bar stools whilst Sian George read the stage directions. I hadn’t experienced a play in this format before and perhaps was initially worried that without costumes and characters changing on the set the performance might not live up to expectations.

Well that idea proved to be a load of nonsense. Kate’s well-written script has us literally laughing out loud, and yes physically cringing at the characters' actions – I think the term is ‘cutting close to the bone.’ It’s the sign of a well-written piece to see the audience so drawn into the play – especially where there are no props (except for the music) to paint the picture for you. Kate’s lead performance was compelling and enthralling, with excellent support from Sharon whose interaction with Kate’s characters was spot on. An array of dodgy, slimy and downright odd characters were wonderfully portrayed by William who threw himself into each role with great gusto.

This was theatre at its most exciting. Since writing the play Kate has worked hard to get this creation of hers out to an audience. Kate has no funding or big sponsors, so the only money made is from the audience’s donations. This is the kind of theatre that I want to see more of. I was so impressed with the quality of writing and the performances; both Andy and I agreed that it was a fantastic evening out. Kate assures me that the actors have decided to turn this into a full production and take it out on the road. I can’t wait. People getting off their arses and creating something for the community is something I love to see at any time of year, but when I think of all of those couples who'll be sat in their droves determined to 'be romantic’ on Saturday I’m even more grateful that we saw Kate’s play. It was a true antithesis to Valentine’s Day.

by Sophie McKeand
posted: 13th February 2009