SpinQueen™ theatre review: Raw, unfiltered rage
This blood-soaked, fiery satire tackles body dysmorphia and suffocating positivity in a mesmerising descent into madness
The unholy mashup of female rage, satire and body horror is evolving into its own genre. This one-woman show, from New York-born writer-performer Megan Tomei, reverberates with the same unnerving humour as Coralie Fargeat’s film The Substance.
We’re here for a spin class led by perky power woman Meg (thankfully the only one who actually cycles), and we’re not only going to burn calories but build some Frankenstein’s monster version of our best selves. ‘I only stop if Beyoncé texts me,’ Meg yells.
The writing is at its best in this first part, a riffing, looping howl of torturous, motivational platitudes. Tomei has a fabulous ear for satirical one-liners so close to the bone you suspect if the wrong marketeer sat in the front row some of them could, terrifyingly, be greenlit: ‘Hunger is your body asking how serious you are about success.’ She walks a knife edge between manic energy and plain mania, sometimes letting slip the vulnerability behind the mask. ‘Good enough just doesn’t feel safe,’ she cries.
The tonal shift in the final section shows a softer, rawer side to the character, opting for a concrete explanation for Meg’s breakdown. It’s powerful but does slightly unpick the complexity Tomei has dug into through her satire.
SpinQueen™, Greenside George Street, until 29 August, 7.35pm; picture: Drew Waller.