Rating: ★★★★
Venue: Just Up The Stairs at Just The Tonic at The Caves, Edinburgh
Roo Sutcliffe has studied all her life to become an actor. She attended prestigious drama schools and was taught by renowned practitioners. Her conclusion? Actors are indeed wankers. In this passionate display, Roo expresses her disdain for theatre through the distinctive medium of theatre. Ridiculing absurdities of the industry, from name-dropping directors to the unbearable agents she's absolutely hoping are in the audience tonight. It's time the industry (that she very much wants to be in) gets called out for what it is. And Roo will, of course, call it out using her diaphragm.
I don't like one-woman shows. Or comedy, really. But this was hilarious. If you are an actor, know an actor, or have ever interacted with one, there will be multiple laugh out loud moments here for you.
Roo Sutcliffe delivers a pacey 50 minute autobiographical monologue about growing up in the arts industry. As her Edinburgh Fringe debut, there is a palpable tenderness (but not in the wanky way) to her delivery, and it's clear she belongs on stage. Unafraid to laugh at herself, and encouraging the audience to do so too, she charges through her experiences at drama school, clown classes, and a comedy course finding the funny in every story.
If this were a written piece, I'd buy the script! For a specific demographics, there are some great snippets in the book that could easily be used for self tapes or audition material - they have a range of emotions in a short space of time, dry humour and wittiness, and are easy to make your own.
But seeing it performed live by the person who lived it is just superb. Roo takes it to a new level, and is physical enough to fill the small stage without being overdramatic. Running at under an hour for the whole month, you have no excuse not to support this young actor with a truly funny piece.
You can book tickets to I Think I Hate Actors here.
Review by Katie
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