Pleasance National Partnerships Programme with Bristol Old Vic FERMENT. On demand from 9 – 30 August 2021
Reviewed by Aimee Liddington
4****
Do we create our own destiny or is our future decided by the circumstances we are born into? This monologue by Florence Espeut-Nickless forces us to ponder on this question.
In her semi-autobiographical account of a young girl from a council estate in rural Wiltshire, Espeut-Nickless brings a beautiful authenticity to the role. We meet Destiny as she is preparing for a big night out at Karma, her local nightclub. As the music plays and the drinks flow, the night takes a turn for the worse and we end up joining Destiny on her path to finding the love and support that has been lacking so far in her life.
It’s a story we have heard before but despite the predictability of the character’s bad decisions, it’s hard not to fall for her charm. Her life has been full of misfortune including absent parents, financial hardship and sexual abuse but there is a level of innocence to her story telling which makes her all the more endearing. As she repeatedly makes decisions that will inevitably end in pain, Destiny manages to keep the audience laughing even in her darkest hours. Espeut-Nickless cleverly makes references to stereotypes and well-known pop culture that the audience is sure to resonate with.
The stage is kept very bare with only a single chair and a handful of small props to accompany our actress in her one woman show. The clever sound and lighting adjustments by Joseff Harris and Jenny Roxburgh create shifts in ambiance that give the audience an insight into Destiny’s state of mind. The success of the performance is however, owed mostly, to Espeut-Nickless and her ability to command the stage.
This is a thought-provoking piece of political theatre peppered with moments of humour and a reminder that we can create our own destiny if we manage to find a bit of hope and faith.