Dolly – Omnibus Theatre
Defining ‘Dolly’ as a play about sexual assault is reductive. What Dolly achieves is nothing less than a crushing experience that refuses to soften its blows. The dark comedy, written by Charlotte Ashton is anything but linear, combining stand-up comedy, police interview recordings and a splintered narrative. Its result is a very pointed and urgent confrontation of the criminal justice system’s failure in protecting and defending women.
The show opens with the titular Dolly (Jessica Clark) performing what appears to be a stand-up set, convincingly authentic with sharp and attentive comedic timing. A waitress by day and comic by night, Dolly interestingly interacts with the audience. As her set continues, material covering sexual harassment emerges as more prominent until it becomes ...