Fringe Review: ATTICWIFE, Studio at theSpace @ Niddry Street
Photo credit: Annie Brown
Meet Astrid Fisher. A social media influencer who has taken the ‘trad-wife’ lifestyle to the extreme. Her ‘hubby’ has locked her in the attic to keep her safe and so she can be fully reliant on her man to cater to her needs. When an old school friend, Leah Park, breaks in to try and rescue Astrid, it becomes apparent that Astrid’s warm and lovely home life may not be everything it comes across as.
Writer Laura Clare Browne has crafted this play so well. The contrast between the modern aesthetic of being an influencer and the lifestyle of being a ‘traditional’ wife works perfectly. The play is extremely well paced, dropping revelations at just the right moments. It goes from comedy to slightly heavier very naturally as Astrid’s eyes start to be opened to the truth about her husband.
Browne also plays the role of Astrid and she is outstanding in this role. She is instantly likeable, despite Astrid’s questionable beliefs about the role of a woman, which makes us root for Astrid and long for her to find her real freedom and purpose in life. She plays the bright and cheery influencer persona perfectly, as well as her walls starting to break down as she considers whether Leah might be telling the truth. Jen Clark is equally brilliant as Leah Park, providing the perfect contrast to Browne’s Astrid in characterisation. She brings the modern perspective on feminism into the room and shows genuine concern for Astrid and her wellbeing. The duo bounce off of one another really well, from strong conflict (credit to Celeste Samson for brilliant fight choreography) to respect.
atticwife is an absolute delight to watch from start to finish - brilliantly written and excellently performed. Whilst the ‘trad-wife’ thing may be a far more common phenomena in the USA, the play is still gripping, entertaining and feels incredibly timely.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Jacob Bush