As well as seeing the play Asking For It, I also got hold of a ticket to a Spotlight talk with the author of the actual novel, Louse O'Neill. This was a great night as I was able to attend the fascinating talk in the Studio before watching the play based on her book in the House theatre. This was actually my first ever visit to a Birmingham Theatre. Only living about 12 miles away this may seem strange, but I've always been put off by the high car park charges in Birmingham, and the awful traffic, not to mention the constant roadworks and road closures. However they have recently finished the Metro Tram extension which means you can get to a stop right in the front the REP Theatre in about 40 minutes from my home, for the very reasonable £4.40 return. The theatre itself is lovely and welcoming, luckily, as the weather outside, thanks to Storm Dennis, was definitely not. I had a front row seat for the play which was great, but looking around the auditorium I don't think there is a bad seat in the theatre. It has a very steep rake which gives all rows a very clear view and the acoustics are good as well.
The Spotlight talk with the book's author Louise O'Neill was first and lasted around an hour. Louise was interviewed on stage and talked about how she got started as a writer and her first book 'Only Ever Yours'. As a big fan of that book myself, I found this very interesting and was also glad to hear that Louise was a Margaret Atwood, and Handmaid's Tale fan as well. She then moved on to talking about the novel 'Asking For It', how she came up with the story and the research she did for it, as well as the books reception across the world. That left time for a few audience questions and for her to sign books and tickets. Louise then actually joined the rest of us to watch the play.
At the end of the talk I had just a few minutes then to take my seat ready for the play. Asking For It is based on the book and adapted for the stage by Meadhbh McHugh with Annabelle Comyn as the director. t was produced by Landmark Productions with The Everyman Cork. Unusually for theatre the first half of the play is actually shorter than the second half. The first half was 65 minutes followed by a 20 minute interval and then a 90 minute second half. The story concerns an eighteen year old girl called Emma who is raped at a party by boys she considered friends, and then photos of the rape subsequently appear on facebook. The second half of the play follows the events of the aftermath of her reporting the rape to the Police, and whether anybody actually believes her, including her friends and even her own parents. I don't want to give away much more of the plot than that, as you really need to see it or read the book for the full effect.
The set was brilliant. Essentially a bank of screens which did show some video footage but served as the school playground, Sean's house with all the various rooms appearing, and then for the second half it all folded and transformed itself into the family kitchen.
I did meet some of the actors after the show and I said the same thing to them all, "I don't know how you can perform that every night". Performances from every single member of the Irish cast was phenomenal. So much emotion in every scene. In particular though the scenes in the second half are amazing. The family scenes with Emma played Lauren Coe and her Parents played by Dawn Bradfield and Simon O' Gorman are so powerful, and then when Emma's brother Bryan played by Liam Heslin arrives you are completely drawn in. I don't think I ever been part of an audience that were so quiet. Everyone was completely focused on those characters on the stage and there were gasps at a few comments from the mother. Lauren Coe was excellent throughout, and I think it has to be a really draining part to play. There were real tears on stage and many in the audience as well.
All in all then an incredible production. Just from the point of view of the acting prowess it is a must see play, but add in the story and message of the play make it one of the best things I have ever seen on the stage. I spoke to a young lady after the play who had been to see it four times in the two weeks it had been running, and I wish I had seen it at the start as well so I could have fit another performance in. It is shocking and doesn't shy away from bad or sexual language or imagery, and in this case this is a good thing as it adds to the impact of the piece and hopefully raises a lot of questions in everyone who watches it. I did hear an audience member in the interval say that Emma shouldn't have gone to the party, but hopefully the second half may have made her question that. There wasn't any applause after the first half of the play because I think everyone was just too shocked, although the audience make up for that at the end as the cast were called back on about 4 times for bows at the curtain call. Incredible story, incredible acting, incredible play.
Unfortunately that was the last performance of the play, although it may get another run in the future. Theatres should be lining up to get this on their schedule. I really do hope it gets to tour the UK as I feel it is an important play to see for many age groups. You can of course purchase the original novel by Louise O'Neill, which I recommend you do, as well as her other books, which are all great.
The Birmingham REP have some other great plays coming up over the next few months including Faustus : That Damned Woman, and the RSC's Tartuffe. To book for their future productions check their website at https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/
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