Review: RUTHLESS: A NIGHT WITH RUTH ELLIS, Old Town Hall Hemel Hempstead

Photo credit: Henry Roberts Photography

At the Old Town Hall in Hemel Hempstead, Ruthless dives into the story of Ruth Ellis.  Ellis was the last woman to be executed in the UK. The story of Ellis’ death is well known, but this is the story of her life, written by Katherine Moran, who also delivers this solo performance.

The play has a strong premise. The objective of the piece is to explore the impact of domestic violence and trauma through a modern lens. There is a complex balancing act taking place as Moran clearly doesn’t want to minimise Ellis’s act of taking a life, but is simultaneously attempting to demonstrate that trauma and violence can have harmful repercussions, inviting us to consider an alternative viewpoint of the events. Unfortunately, as a result of trying to walk this line, Moran’s characters are not fully-drawn, lacking in emotion and depth, and ultimately, it’s difficult to feel any compassion for Ellis.

The programme informs us that Moran’s performance is a solo adaptation of a larger ensemble play, which means that here she takes on the mammoth task of telling this weighty story single-handedly with the aid of just a wooden block and some simple small props. There are many people in the story: priests, partners, friends, parents, colleagues, children, and siblings. They are mostly voiced by a talented Moran. Her delivery is word perfect and she is clearly a very accomplished voice actor, embodying gruff males, classy ladies, and everyone else, with apparent ease. She is able to weave effortlessly between characters and is impressive to watch. However, with this level of undertaking and such a wide set of characters, there needs to be consistency in the method of delivery so the audience can focus on the narrative. Unfortunately, this consistency is lacking. Some of the story is narrated by Moran, some is not. Some voices are delivered by Moran, some are pre-recorded, some both. Some of the characters are represented by props, some by the audience, some by Moran switching sides of the stage. The number of characters, the speed we meet them, and the multiple delivery mechanisms result in the loss of characterisation and the momentum of the piece is impacted.

Ruthless has potential, and with a focus on introducing depth and consistency, there is a possibility that this piece will go on to spark discussion around Ellis’ legacy. In its current format, it doesn’t quite reclaim Ruth’s story, but what it does do is shine a light on the impact of domestic abuse, which must be applauded. 

** Two stars

Reviewed by: Cara Brazier