POV

*****

The Space at Surgeons Hall

August 10-12 14-19 (8:05pm)

‘Porn taught me not to trust my Dad’s hot friend or my friend’s hot wife’

According to the stats the POV crew have compiled, 7% of the world’s man hours last year were spent watching porn. But how much do we honestly talk about porn consumption? POV took verbatim extracts from over fifty interviews with friends, strangers and even their parents (!) to really get to the heart of our hidden relationship with pornography.

The verbatim text has been compiled skilfully into a great, cohesive script, which feels very much like a complete work. As a writer, the word ‘devised’ usually has me running for the hills – but the physical scenes were absolutely justified, and were completely harmonious with the dialogue. The show is laugh out loud funny, heart-breaking, surprising, and incredibly human. More than once there were gasps from the audience and murmurs of collective recognition.

Whilst porn is the starting point, the scope of POV is much more. Sexuality, childhood, designer vaginas, assault, body image, family and love, are just some of the big issues tackled with unflinching honesty. Where this play is particularly strong is the ability to remain non-judgemental, without ever feeling detached. I’ve rarely seen this line so skilfully trodden.

Exploration of gender was particularly strong with insightful comment made on the vast differences in expectation. For me, a stand out quote – ‘a man can make the same mistakes as a woman and it won’t matter as much’.

To single out one performer would be disingenuous – this is a talented ensemble without exception. A section of performance poetry was unexpected but brilliant. There was a lot going on but it always felt considered and edited to perfection.

The resounding message for me – ‘We’re all just men and women in suits trying to do our best in a world that clearly wasn’t built for us.’

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