Hyde Park Book Club – 27th January 2024
Reviewed by Sal E Marino
5*****
The Beauty of Being Herd, written and performed by Ruth Berkoff, was one of the most memorable hours of time I’ve spent watching a live theatrical play and memorable in a most positive way. We were greeted by the sparsest set I’ve ever seen – a hung piece of red velvet material and a solo sad balloon. It looked like we were staring at the remains of an abandoned jumble sale in a village hall – mismatched and odd but this set up was perfect for what was about to unfold. The sad and limited space foreshadowed Hannah, the play’s main and only character (apart from the ones we conjure from her enactments of various scenarios) and reflected how she feels about herself. One picks up on her anxiety within seconds of meeting her and through her constant apologies and over explaining of what she means to say, it’s clear that Hannah doesn’t feel like she’s coherent when she speaks to other people. she can’t find harmony within any group and so never feels relaxed or happy but my first impression of her was the opposite of how she thinks others perceive her. She was funny, entertaining, different from the ‘norm’ and warm.
After what she considers as failed attempts to form relationships (not romantic) with people at work, an adult party, and a rave – she concludes that there is something wrong with her – she doesn’t understand the code of conduct or the ‘rules’ that need applying to form connections with people. Even at the ‘adult’ party there were rules on the doors, but people didn’t follow them, so she has eventually decided to jack in being a human and to go and live as a sheep. Sheep do follow the rules, they’re basic and because there are only four rules to follow then there’s no chance of her being misunderstood or rejected.
So as an audience, we were simply there to say goodbye and good luck however, by the end of the show Hannah had relaxed because she had finally been HEARD by us and it felt like (although she never said so) that she might decide to give humans another go and stick around a bit longer. As a group, we had listened to her, laughed with her, sang with her, baaaaa’d with her and even danced a little. We had experienced intimacy and how I interpret intimacy is: in-to-me-in-you-I-see and so we had exchanged energy that connected. She felt harmony with us as we did with her, and the energy feedback exchange was positive. I’m sure that at that moment, as a collection of random people, we were starting to form a tribe and Hannah was our leader! Her once furtive eyes were now wide open and smiling, she was doing superhero poses and getting us to follow her actions. She felt good, I felt good and by the look on everyone’s faces in the audience and the high energy in the room – they did too!
Although this play may appear like a bit of a joke and tomfoolery at first, it’s actually very deep and the play on words associated with herd, heard, sheep and following the rules is interesting. If I had got to know ‘Hannah’ a little better, I would like to have reassured her that feeling a bit odd and like you don’t fit in within some groups and social platforms is a good thing and quote Krishnamurti suggesting that “It is no measure of health (mental) to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” We live in a world that is collectively manifesting wars and follow leaders who put their own power and financial gains before humanity so don’t worry about any rules for humans – they no longer exist as a sacred code, form your own with like mined people, in fact you just did it with us! Furthermore Hannah, if you’re not feeling in harmony with who you are surrounded by then have the courage to go inside, do the work and love ‘you’ because the law of attraction is a rule that never fails us and eventually you will magnetise your tribe, you did tonight already. The Beauty of Being Herd is bizarre, bonkers and beautiful – I loved it!