Yasmin lives in a world where “odds feels odd, but evens feel better” and in this existence, she counts to stay in control. Drawing from personal experiences, writer Lucy Burke (Glitter Punch) explores the impact of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder on suffers and the people around them.
Following in the successes of Some Riot Theatre’s previous award winning production Glitter Punch, creative duo Lucy Burke and director Peter Taylor join forces again, and they do not disappoint.
WEIRD is dark in its comedy, without being caustic in anyway, revealing an honest insight into the inner workings of a mind coping with OCD. Balancing honesty and humour superbly, it bounds from internal discussions into her need to touch every wall multiple times when she enters a room, to humourous retellings of unexpected reunions in Tesco, always able to lift the mood back up with its Northern charm.
The climactic moments are fearlessly told - really harnessing their audio effects - yet the magnified moments of minutia is where Burke’s talent really shines. Facing the whimsy and irrationalities against the empathetic situations is where the accessibility of this show shines.
Sharing the role of Yasmin are Charlotte Whitaker and on this occasion Amy Doyle, who offered a wonderful performance finding that perfect balance of humour, ham and heart.
It is clear that Burke has made an effort to provide an individual case - a story that needs to be told - without generalising the condition at any point. That being said, there is real success in its ability to show the unrelenting control this condition has over an individual.
Runs 1 - 27 Aug (Not 14)