Cake and Violence, theSpace @ Surgeon's Hall, Review

Image
Rating (out of 5)
5
Show info
Company
Nat Griffen
Performers
Nat Griffen
Running time
55mins

Nat Griffen grew up living in a body designed for others, and now she wants it back and all to herself. Cake and Violence is about the two things that make Nat feel alive... cake and violence, and armed with a beautifully decorated red velvet cake and a long serrated knife, she's ready to tackle both.

A story born from when Nat nearly died (although that story is the hardest to tell), she decided to "renew my lease and commit to this space." She wanted to feel connected to the thing she had felt disconnected from for so long, her body.

A story connected by chapters of her life, we learn about Nat's relationship with her family and, in turn, her identity; half Mexican- half white, her pale skin and blonde hair only tell the latter's story. Her, as she puts it, "eating problem" and her lifelong quest to really feel.

And every moment is punctuated by cake - smashing it, moulding it, cutting it, throwing it - and eventually eating it. 

A powerful and well-organised story, Nat tells it with ease; even when the outside noise competes for attention, she makes a joke and moves on with grace. She tells a tale that is uniquely her own and yet a universally shared experience. 

She isn't here to answer our questions but to leave us with one - "what makes you feel anything?"

Tickets here
Aug 15-27 | 21:40
Suitability: 16+ (Guideline)