By Alice Birch

After experiencing some new writing at the Royal Court I was definitely itching for more, so you can imagine my relief on discovering that the RSC as part of their Making Mischief Festival during the summer, were putting some of their own on. So, dashed off I, typed in the MasterCard details, obtained three very affordable tickets and begged my days to move faster.

Why beg? Well, when you see a comment that states ‘This play is not well behaved’, you know…well I know… ‘that’s what I’m talking about’. And you start to…well I…get really excited and expectant and geed up for the big day.

And yes by golly it came, and Team Family not bashful in the slightest, took those empty front row seats, with legs a swinging, grinned until lights out and then proceeded to howl with laughter throughout the first two scenes of the play.

And when I mean howl, I mean loud, mixed with tears and side holding, for truly ruly Scene One is genius and was executed by some very fine performers, and then Scene Two, is comic and hilarious and again delivered with such talent that you’re left with little else but be blown away by the writing and performance.

I can’t tell you how many scenes/sketches there are in this one hour performance, but I can say it doesn’t just stop at funny, for each mini-play has its own angle to explore. These all pretty much focus on the role women in the 21^st century – how they speak, feel, are victimised and can take control, so it’s fascinating, thought-provoking, daring and bold.  It’s also not fluffy, and at times quite disturbing (but good disturbing) and powerful.

And with super credit to the playwright – for the language can shock and wound and excite all in equal measure and all at the same time.

Also the staging is stark, effective and adds to the action. Oh and the cast – three super fabulously women (Emmanuella Cole, Emma Fielding & Beth Park) and an equally super fabulous man (Robert Boulter).

Thankfully, it’s still on, not on at the Other Place in Stratford where I caught it, or Edinburgh where it’s just been but at Shoreditch Town Hall until 17 September.