Dark Vanilla Jungle at the Cockpit Theatre

Coming to the Cockpit in Marylebone after a successful run in Raleigh, North Carolina, Dark Vanilla Jungle is a raw and painful exploration of the affects of a traumatic life on a human mind.

It is a one-woman show involving the protagonist, Andrea, attempting to recall the events of her life that have led her to this point. Writer Philip Ridley is known for his exploration into the darker human psyche – a reputation he upholds with this piece.

The playwright gives an absorbing portrayal of one route the brutal circle of abuse and neglect can create, however it feels like a male gaze on a female perspective. As the drama progresses and the extent of Andrea’s turmoil is revealed, the tone of the play feels didactic in its insistence on a man being the backbone of a woman’s hysteria.

The first half of the show is more subtle with this message, leaning on the artful manipulation Lexie Braverman (Andrea) stages of her control over her emotions; she flits seamlessly from calm and playful to filled with rage amid the isolation caused by a destruction of trust in relationships with male figures. However, perhaps motivated by a time limit, the second half propels Andrea’s descent into madness, and literally states the already implied results of her abuse: her perceived inferiority and obsession with maleness.

One-person shows are hard: for one person to be able to captivate an audience and use their space to create drama is an impressive feat and one that is carried well by Braverman under the direction of Jerome Davis and Staci Sabarsky. A stripped-down Cockpit, with only a table and a pad of paper, is transformed by the actress’s energy, taking on the form and feeling of the narrative. There are moments of beautiful choreography that elevate the message of the monologue.

Dark Vanilla Jungle is not a fun, family trip to the theatre. It is challenging and compelling and requires the audience to be prepared to accept and listen to a darker, at times harrowing, exploration of a sadly all too real phenomenon.

Melissa Hoban

Dark Vanilla Jungle is on at the Cockpit Theatre from 10^th until 13^th of August 2016, for further information or to book visit here.