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ED2013 5/5 Reviews ED2013 Theatre Reviews
Executed For Sodomy – The Life Story Of Caterina Linck (Shift Productions)
By Arjun Sajip | Published on Sunday 4 August 2013
The title may seem exploitative, but it’s the best theatre I’ve seen here so far. It’s minimalist: there are about five characters, a handful of props, no sets whatsoever, and a very sparse score. It’s based on an 18th century case, yet the themes of gendered expectations and sexual confusion are pertinent today; writers Danny West and Ben Fensome make the play relevant but not didactic. Fanni Compton plays Linck, a misfit who – masquerading as a man – captures the heart of a young woman (Victoria Jones, who, in an effective chronological leap, also plays Linck’s prosecutor). The girl’s fiercely protective mother (Alice Bell) grows suspicious. Effective lighting, shifting temporality, imaginative direction and extraordinary acting – particularly from Compton and Bell – make this utterly spellbinding.
C nova, until 26 Aug (not 12), 6.30pm.
tw rating 5/5 | [Arjun Sajip]
