On Being Yourself But Better is the debut sketch-style performance from the all-female Hoot! Theatre who explore gendered expectations through physical and visual snippets.
They have created a show which blends clever observation with outlandish humour to create an enjoyable, laugh-out-loud theatre experience.
The performers had to battle against the difficulties presented by the performance space at The Warren this year; traffic noise and chatter from the bar, as well as the cold environment within the tent.
This show would have been much more effective had it been programmed in a more intimate venue. The three bold performers, all Lecoq trained, performed a series of grotesque characters with huge amounts of energy and curiosity.
Highlights included the shadow puppetry of chattering bird-like women, the trio painstakingly changing behind towels to reveal a gaggle of culture vultures in bright red cocktail dresses and the final scene - a fairytale deconstruction.
However, there were a few times when the onstage imagery lost its sharpness and consequently its impact. A greater precision in the physicality would benefit the humour and the storytelling of On Being Yourself But Better and draw the audience more effectively into each temporary world onstage.
Three stars
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