Hysterical
★★★★☆ Timely
Greenside @ George Street (Venue 236): Tue 20 – Sat 24 Aug 2024
Review by Rebecca Mahar
A whirlwind time-travelling trawl through the history of five “mad” women and the history teacher who awakened their ghosts, koi collective’s Hysterical speaks truth to hysteria, and the many ways ordinary women have been maligned for stepping out of the narrowly defined boundaries society has erected for them.
Penned by Sally Macalister, Hysterical opens with five women in vaguely-historical garb welcoming the audience in. They are interrupted by an ostensible latecomer to the production, Jenny, whom they haul up onstage to sit in a chair placed there for the purpose. They discover that she is a history teacher, and proceed to each tell their stories, with Jenny as the target audience.
A scene from Hysterical. Pic: Stacie Amelia.
Catherine (Jess Ferrier) from 16th century Edinburgh, whose crime was reading; Mercy (Evie Mortimer), a blind orphan from 18th century London with a beautiful gift; 19th century Augustine (Georgia-Lee Roberts), whose illness was not understood; Celia (Zara Lousie Kennedy), who believed herself disturbed because of her feelings; and Anne (Robyn Reilly), who could not bear her own pain.
In turn, they relate their stories, with much colour and humour amid the darker truth: they had all been deemed “hysterical” and tossed aside in one way or another. We discover early on that it’s Jenny (Eilidh West) who has brought these shades to life, reading about their lives in an archive, but not until Anne do we learn why, and what “hysterical” tragedy brought Jenny there in the first place.
heartbreaking reality
The ensemble are universally strong; as equally deft with wit and bawdiness as they are with the heartbreaking reality of each of their characters’ experiences. As Jenny, Eilidh West ranges from beautifully befuddled at the beginning, before she understands what’s happening, to full of rage and regret near the end.
Hysterical is particularly wise in its deliberate choice to portray ordinary women: based on historical figures, but no one exceptionally famous, to share its message of how the label of hysteria can be applied to anyone, for virtually any reason, and how women’s’ mental health is weaponised. This plays seeks – and succeeds – to centre the universality of these types of experiences, from ancient history to now.
At its heart, Hysterical speaks to women directly: you are enough.
Running time: 50 minutes (no interval)
Greenside @ George Street (Olive), 22-26 George Street EH2 2PQ (Venue 236)
Tuesday 20 – Saturday 24 August 2024
Daily: 11.25 am
Details and tickets at: Book here
Website: www.koicollective.co.uk
Instagram: @koicollectiveofficial
The Cast of Hysterical. Pic: Stacie Amelia.
ENDS
