NeuroChatter – The Fitzgerald

Three personalities, one body, one actress, one act. One great performance. Written and performed by Sara Harvey is a one woman show following three personalities all inhabiting one body, all battling for control. Along with the unnamed Host of the body, broken by an undisclosed previous trauma, alters Mike and Elliott constantly bicker. Mike acts as the egotistical intellectual, attempting to use psychological academia to understand the three’s collective situation. Elliott is the complete opposite, as the foul-mouthed artist, who leads with their heart and prioritises emotional freedom. As the show develops, the individual relationships between the three personalities grow, revealing each character’s main motivation to help Host in the best way they know how. Despite the deeply tragic storyline, the show is wickedly funny, with much of the comedy coming from witty remarks and insults between Mike and Elliot.

Though additions to the main costume are used throughout the show to emphasise passages of time or the dominance of one particular personality within the body, the actress’ skill transcends the need for physical reminders of which personality is talking. Her ability to swap seamlessly between the vastly different personalities, sometimes mid-sentence is truly incredible. Each have such detailed accents, mannerisms and stances that confusion never occurs. The show similarly has moments of dance that are beautifully choreographed, with distinct styles of dance for each personality.

The show itself does lack an overall linear storyline, choosing to focus on the relationships of the personalities and their subtle developments, rather than specific events or changes. While this is a stylistic choice, it means the ending felt somewhat unresolved and unfinished, almost as if the characters were just beginning their development.

The themes of the show themselves are rather dark, and the strong language and mental health issues may not be suited for all audiences. However, for those who enjoy dark subject matters and in depth discussions of the human psyche, responses to trauma, and the human condition itself, the show is gripping and excellently executed, forcing audiences to confront their own sense of normalcy and preconceptions around mental health

Reviewer: Amelia Phillpotts

Reviewed: 24^th July 2024

North West End UK Rating: