Scotland

What The F*ck Happened to Love and Hope? – theSpace on the Mile

Nina (Olivia McGeachy) is trying to play it cool. She’s on the school bus, finding the courage to ask out a boy she fancies. Finally, she blurts it out, laughing off her nerves with her quirky persona.

Nina and Faye (Heidi Steel) are in the classroom, giggling at explicit pictures sent by a boy they know. They’re both sixteen. Faye, a young carer, comes across as self-assured, but she is hiding a world inside.

The friends go out clubbing, and the atmosphere is lively as they drink and dance together. Then Nina starts to feel woozy. Her drink has been spiked. Meanwhile, Faye has sex with a boy who removes his condom without her consent.

Both girls describe their rapes and the aftermath, still in shock but determined to tell their stories.

This is an astonishing debut from eighteen-year-old playwright Olivia McGeachy, who also plays Nina. The characters are beautifully drawn: young and full of life. The writing is compelling, and both performances are superb. Under the guidance of director Staci Shaw, the play tackles a hugely important topic, through the eyes of two young women who should be able to enjoy their lives in safety.

The show’s information sheet provides links to the following organisations:

www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk
www.everyonesinvited.uk

www.strutsafe.org

www.oneinfour.org.uk

www.womensaid.org.uk

Reviewer: Wendy McEwan

Reviewed: 20th August 2024

North West End UK Rating:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Wendy McEwan

Recent Posts

The Horse of Jenin – Bush Theatre

Alaa Shehada’s one man show about growing up in Jenin is a funny and powerful…

17 hours ago

The Christmas Thing – Seven Dials Playhouse

Tom Clarkson and Owen Visser have returned with their anarchic Christmas show, The Christmas Thing.…

17 hours ago

Dick Whittington – St Helens Theatre Royal

It’s December and that can only mean one thing: it’s almost Christmas—well, two things, because…

17 hours ago

Broke and Fabulous in the 21st Century – Etcetera Theatre

How do you live a life as beautiful as the one that’s in your head?…

18 hours ago

Oliver Twist – Hull Truck Theatre

Published as a serial between 1836 and 1839, Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist has undergone a…

18 hours ago

Miss Saigon – Leeds Grand

When I was a student in London I saw all the big musicals, but for…

18 hours ago