Lily has had enough in Gabrielle Beasley’s new solo play, in which a lone blow for womankind becomes a call to arms as Lily unexpectedly finds her tribe. As she singles out the men who at various points abused each of her mates, Lily becomes a one-woman vigilante squad who resembles a south London Valerie Solanas. It is the revelations of what happened to Lily and her mum to push her to such extremes, however, that give the play its meaning. As Lily ‘fesses up to her actions, Beasley uses the voices of her assorted mates by way of the terrible men who finally meet their match. When Lily joins forces with a support group of kindred spirit superheroines, references to Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Charlie’s Angels are telling.   

Beasley’s street-smart delivery in Bethany Pitts’ production resembles the sort of punky feminist theatre that came out of the 1970s alternative cabaret circuit. Given the context of a modern world where women are attacked and killed on a daily basis, however, Beasley’s play is an unapologetic and troublingly contemporary study of one woman’s necessary revenge.  

Gabrielle Beasley: Body Count, Gilded Balloon Patter House, until 25 August, 9.40pm.