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[charsaysstuff]

Whiplash at The Camden Fringe

As someone not involved in the industry, Whiplash was an insightful, beautiful, yet harrowing look inside of the str!p club industry. I’m lucky enough to have had the privilege of working with and being friends with writer, producer, and actor Rachel Isobel Heritage. Her script carefully created the reality of many clubs and dancers; the busy nights and the contrasting post covid lulls, the vivacious characters all individualistic yet so together and connected by womanhood and female empowerment. Heritage’s voice could be heard throughout the play in her signature straight forward and powerful style, never skirting around issues but still intertwining her messages of s3x workers right and female comradery against industries primarily run by men into her script and story without always being on the nose.

Wolven has to be credited with this extraordinary directorial debut, balancing and managing a hard-hitting script with the sensitivity and power that it deserves. Her experience as an actor and writer shines through in her direction, honouring the script beautifully and creating an atmosphere in that the actors could show true vulnerability and give their best performances.

The staging was fun and exciting especially for a fringe show, utilising the large cast to efficiently change scenes and locations. Simple yet intricate, each set was so different and helped towards creating the atmosphere of different parts of the club; the openness of the main bar, the safety of the dressing room and intimacy of the VIP area. The pole in the centre was a fun choice, emulating the stage of a club, with the dancers front and centre.

The use of dances in this play was a highlight for me. It showcased not only the talents of the actors and choreographer (Luna Minxx) but also the personality of each individual character; Nemesis and her innate sense of sexuality and experience, Nikii the firecracker, Candy the innocent new girl, Kylie and her ditzy sensuality, Quinn the seductive classic, Chanel and her loud confidence. The unique way each dancer presents herself on the pole gives so much to the reality that “the way you dance is who you are” as Cauchi said during a conversation I had with her, which is ultimately the truth. The vulnerability and passion that’s is needed for the pole and to captivate audiences gives the perfect insight into every dancers core personality not only as a str!pper but also as a human being.

The acting throughout the play was extraordinary. As previously mentioned, each dancer had a palpable individuality, which was brought out by the actors, even when not centre stage. Agha and Copeland, Victor and John, are beautifully nasty and capture the superiority that men in the industry, both workers and customers, may display, thinking they are above and in control of the women that they view as sexual objects instead of workers. Patterson as the Journalist was a fun mix of bubbling contempt and condescension under the guise of a charismatic and good-natured woman. Charlie, played by Woodbridge, the bartender caught in the middle of the action, balancing the empathy and friendship he has with the dancers, looking out for their safety, and being a man still unaware of the true work and problems that the women face.

The real beauty of this play comes from the female empowerment and community between the dancers. From simple conversations asking if anyone has a sharpener and the eagerness of others to help with this small request, to bigger emotional scenes where they gather to comfort one another in times of intense distress and anguish, putting aside differences and in one scene, even using each others real names in which we see a real friendship and respect for one another even outside the club. While there are moments of conflict between the girls, it’s never for a stereotypical catfight, but due to girl codes being broken and friendships being betrayed. Ultimately they come together in a story of fighting the real enemy, a patriarchal society which puts women down, but especially those in the s3x work industry, looking to pit women against each other whilst denying them of their basic rights as humans and workers.

Rachel, Saffron, Hannah, Rosie, Phoebe, Anna, Lauren, Erin, Alessandro, Chris and Gregor, you guys have made something so incredible, entertaining and inspiring that I had to write something for it. All I have left to say is that this bloody better be going on tour!

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