Review: FLUSH at Arcola

April Hope Miller’s frenetic play FLUSH garnered considerable attention at the Edinburgh Fringe last summer. The plaudits and notoriety have earned the actress/playwright this London run at Dalston’s premier fringe arts venue, the Arcola, where it is scheduled to continue until 6th June.

Mirroring what must be a similar situation at countless bars and clubs up and down the country, the cast variously play members of a hen party, under-aged girls who have managed to sneak in with fake IDs, and the marketing bitches from a works do. Among the latter is Billie (Jazz Jenkins playing the only single role) who has recently landed from the US to pursue her journalistic calling, but is finding it hard to make friends. Her over-friendly line manager Dom, whose reputation precedes him, seems to have taken an especial interest in his charge, leading to flattering comments about her potential. Far less welcome, is the wholly compromising and unwanted situation in which he places Billie at the club, leading to her gradual emotional unravelling in front of us. Why guys think so little of putting vulnerable women in such a situation remains a cause for concern. Other matters explored in the piece which will potentially touch a nerve with some, include the taking of drugs, formative exploration of first lesbian inclinations, and — appropriately given the women’s toilets setting — a mild foray into the transphobia debate around what constitutes acceptable use and by whom.

For all the seriousness of the societal issues explored in the play, the various interwoven threads are delivered with a great deal of boisterous playfulness, which includes some downright hilarious caricatures, and touching moments of mutually supportive sisterhood. At the same time, FLUSH doesn’t shy away from showing some female-on-female spite, demonstrating that we could all do a lot better at displaying kindness and tolerance in a world which increasingly revels in abrasive confrontation.

The cast of five which include the aforementioned Ms Miller and Ms Jenkins, is completed with various roles played by Ayesha Griffiths, Joanna Strafford and Miya Ocego, all of whom under Merle Wheldon’s direction, maintain a snappy pace ensuring that the show never flags or becomes over-blown or self conscious.

Played-out on Ellie Wintour’s suitably grubby, graffiti-adorned, three-cubicle set, it is great to witness an Edinburgh Fringe transfer living-up to its word-of-mouth, promise and potential.