Baby Everything theatre review: Skewering artificiality
A sharp, playful satire of a US consumed by fear, contradiction and political division
Although she doesn’t make it obvious, Lee Minora takes elements of clown and burlesque and places them at the service of her witty, political and personal solo show. Baby wakes up full of hope for her day off, only to discover that family conflict, health scares, active shooters and facile friendship can really ruin the mood. Minora jumps between characters with ease and protagonist Baby is an innocent abroad in a United States wracked with anxiety. Her mother has been radicalised by Trump and their arguments are the place where Minora effectively satirises generational and political conflicts.
Encountering a variety of strangely symbolic personalities, Baby wanders around a contemporary landscape defined by fear: her friend, between superficial conversation, urges her to leave the country; a motivational speaker insists that this is the best of times before pulling out a handgun; a museum guide ponders the potential art might have on emotional education. Although the tone is playful, Baby Everything is a sharp and cool take on North American culture, conjuring an environment that is defined by contradiction and, of course, the media. Although its perspective comes from the left, it manages to skewer artificiality and gestural activism on both sides, and is as much fun as it is serious.
Baby Everything, Summerhall, until 31 August, 10.10am; picture: Emilie Krause.