SPOILT

What is this woman? Frenetic laugh-maker? Fitness freak? Mad spider spinning a comedic web over an entire theatre and its patrons?

Probably all of those, as well as clever writer and perceptive observer of social trends. She doesn’t stand still long enough to be classed as stand-up comedienne.

In a nutshell, this is the structure of SPOILT: first she creates five female characters of our new consumer-driven century, using only shoes, wigs and a fabric pieces. They are: a desperately hopeful auditionee for a reality show; a botoxed and surgery-adjusted event celebrant; a limber personal trainer; a PR woman who loves small dogs  ̶  she owns a pooshit,  poodle-shih tzu cross; and a wannabe bride who’s not having much luck.

In this process Skitch plays the audience  ̶  who arrive with name tags  ̶    to build out her characters. Sit in back rows if you want to avoid involvement – no tag draws more attention to you.

SPOILTis actually more than a one-woman comedy show. Skitch goes on to skilfully embroil these shallow, pretentious characters into a bleak satirical social event that ends in tears. The Gothic ending is the tragic outcome of all this, which challenges us to stop and think about where we are going socially.

We leave the show feeling elevated after so much healthy mirth, but agreeing: “Surely all this must can only in tears.”

Jay McKee