Unsolicited (An Unsafe Space for Straight Men) – Royal Court Theatre

Every woman knows the importance of identifying your exits, they plan their routes home from nights out and experience the momentary panic when the taxi driver takes an unfamiliar route.  They have been educated from birth that it is their responsibility to prevent men from raping them, by dressing appropriately, not wearing headphones, holding their keys in the correct manner.  And so, we join All Things Considered Theatre aboard the Spice Up Your Lifeboat as they navigate the treacherous, sometimes deadly, Sea of Misogyny. 

Four multi-talented performers (Ashleigh Owen, Frankie Gold, Holly Wright, Shannon Lavelle) bedecked in sequins and glitter guide us through this exploration of unsafe spaces, unwanted dick pics, harassment and more with All Things Considered’s usual combination of humour, pathos and verbatim material.  Confidently led by Captain Ashleigh, the laughs come thick and fast as the show opens and the tone is set. This is an unsafe space for straight men, and you feel those in the audience shift awkwardly as the crew seek them out – credit here to Sheldon who played the ‘straight man’ on the night I watched. 

As the show tells us, the Sea of Misogyny is vast, and All Things Considered make a valiant effort to cover all areas.  There are biting sketches about male gaze and internalised misogyny, cutting commentary on how women are told to stay safe (at a moment of danger the automated message on the help line reels off the empty guidance to flag down a bus), talking vulvas, perfume advert parodies which highlight misogynoir, mansplaining fish and a sketch about hysteria that culminates in one of the evening’s most unsettling moments.  There is also moving verbatim testimony which had many audience members wiping the tears from their eyes. This, we’re told, is a show inspired by the women who were, the women who have been, and we recognise the stories of Nicole Smallman, Bibaa Henry, Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa. 

The women in the audience sit and see themselves reflected on stage, their need to respond is palpable, and there are audible reactions as they recognise the direction a scene is taking.  In a sketch about unwanted attention and the consequences of rejection an audience member behind me declared it was “so true”, another imploring the character to “run”.  However, we’re told that this is a piece for straight men.  It is about us but the journey is for them, and several moments highlight the importance of this, such as the jarring shout of “more” as one of the performers bared her breasts in a moment of self-sacrifice and solidarity. 

Unsolicited will hopefully have the opportunity to light more fires and inspire more conversations.  It is a little rough round the edges, but this adds to its charm.  There is scope to tighten the material, and trim some of the more indulgent moments, but the conversation then about what, or who, to exclude is a tricky one.  Ultimately, this is an important piece that continues All Things Considered’s mission to create theatre that questions, challenges and reclaims whilst making its audience experience the full spectrum of emotions.

Reviewer: Clare Chandler

Reviewed: 20th January 2023

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★