There is much to admire both in both Abi Zakarian’s one person play, FABRIC, and Nancy Sullivan’s 70 minute performance of it. She portrays Leah who, despite a London accent and Essex Girl vibe, gets a job in a high end tailors where she meets the perfect, prospective husband - financially secure, tall, blonde and handsome.She’s kooky and likeable as she skittishly recounts the early romance but as the play is billed as giving “voice to one woman’s experience of sexual violence and trauma" we know that the good times won’t last and are attuned to the little hints and humiliations which signal that trouble’s in store for Leah. As outlined in the marketing blurb she endures not one but two brutal sexual attacks and the hostility of those around her exacerbates her misery.
Sullivan attacks the performance with relish, as well she might, it’s the kind of acting work-out that any actor would grab with both hands. FABRIC is a great showcase for her skill with light comedy, tear-stained, bleak tragedy and a “working class” accent. It’s like the perfect audition for Eastenders.
Writer, Zakarian provides plenty of vivid descriptive imagery within the narrative and this is actor and playwright working in perfect synergy with their director, Hannah Hauer-King, to create a compelling account of how predatory some men can be and the powerlessness of their female victims.
I tend to give issue based, contemporary theatre a miss because but I love TV drama which does it so much better and, more importantly, actually gets seen by the people for whom it’s most relevant. Although of course West End Theatregoing and domestic abuse know no social barriers I was delighted to learn that this forceful little play will reach beyond its current, cliquey, West End venue and be performed right across London at less chic addresses where it may attract a more diverse crowd. Check out the website for Damsel Productions for more details. The writer also tells me that the victims of sexual abuse often seek out plays that deal with the subject and that there are councillors available after every performance to advise anyone who needs it.
Too often theatre makers claim to be a force for social change but are simply playing to other liberal theatre folk. If this play can reach out to a wider range of people, providing support, comfort and catharsis then it’s very worthwhile.
I can’t really recommend FABRIC as an "entertaining" night out but if you think you’d like to experience powerful acting and writing in the intense up-close atmosphere of Soho Theatre's upstairs space then you won’t be disappointed.
Suicide is the biggest cause of death for men under 45 in the UK, and playwright Alex McSweeney shines a laser on this very real issue in DISTANCE.