At Least I’m Not Bald – C Arts, C alto

This is a show by the Ukrainian writer-performer, Valery Reva and it really is quite a show, delivered with considerable force, with real impact.

Reva tells her own real life story by the use of a complex, beautifully written narrative, accompanied by subtle, effective sound and the unusually creative use of simple props.   

She begins to open up about her experience in an understated, matter-of-fact way – should she choose to pay exorbitant dental fees in London or travel 28 hours home to war torn Ukraine to have her teeth tended there?  For her, it was a no brainer.  She made the decision to undertake the long journey and ultimately headed to downtown Kiev where, after reuniting and partying with friends before having dental treatment, a routine health check suddenly showed that she had cancer of the thyroid.

It’s at this point Reva makes bold, brave theatrical choices for this could so easily have been a narrative which would have been dramatic in itself – the shocking story of a young woman having to undergo lifesaving surgery in a hospital which was being shelled, forcing her to leave her hospital bed to take cover in a shelter.

Instead, Reva decides to widen the narrative, widen the focus, slipping in and out of different perspectives, different voices, easily, naturally.  In so doing, she succeeds in drawing the audience into the heart of her story where they find that she is not only performing her own lived experience here, she is also painting a bigger picture – one of love and human connection, of fear and security, and of the preciousness and fragility of life. 

I must confess that I know Valery Reva, but I have never seen her on stage – until today.  And to be honest, I don’t think I’ll forget today for quite some time for it turns out that Reva is a fearless, authentic performer.

Reviewer: Susan Cohen

Reviewed: 10th August 2024

North West End UK Rating: