Pickle Jar
Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE
Tuesday 23rd October – Saturday 10th November 2018, 7pm
Coming to London after a critically acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2018, Pickle Jar is the debut play written and performed by Maddie Rice, the star of smash-hit Fleabag’s UK and international tour. An undeniably witty one-woman show, Pickle Jar follows a teacher ready to shape a generation of fierce, poised, self-assured young women even if she’s not quite sure how to how to be a grown-up yet herself
Stranger danger, heartbreak and piña coladas are all on the syllabus when you’re learning how to be a Responsible Adult. The pressures of teaching, Tinder and outrageous best mates are a lot to juggle. It’s hard keeping it together when your whole life is falling apart
Tackling important social issues of consent and victim-blaming, Pickle Jar is honestly and sharply written. It’s a refreshing look at life for young women self-consciously navigating optimistic female empowerment while getting swept away by the excitement of playful sexuality. An acutely observed production, Pickle Jar is a moving piece about friendship, grief and mixing metaphors which never fails to be funny
Director, Katie Pesskin comments, Life isn’t black and white and the grey areas surrounding consent and responsibility are extensive. We really want to start a conversation about the complexities of these issues with a wider audience so we’re delighted to be bringing Pickle Jar to London. We’re not proposing to have all the answers but we hope that the audience will leave the show understanding why Miss feels the way she does, questioning how they feel about it, and knowing we need to create a society in which we all feel that we can talk about these issues. We also hope they’ll leave having had a good laugh!
Maddie Rice is effortlessly versatile, playing an array of patronising counsellors, fellow teachers and bovvered schoolkids. Her superb comic timing (and writing) is a gift. (★★★★ Fest)
Rice’s writing is honest and heartwarming, tackling important social issues with wit and brevity. Racing backwards and forwards, the performance flits between time and place, juxtaposing tragic circumstances with well timed comic observations to keep the audience enthralled from start to finish. (★★★★★ Edinburgh Festivals Magazine)