Written and performed by Obehi Janice
Directed by Caitlin Sullivan
Dramaturged by Nissy Aya
The Great Lover – Casanova.
Engaging in romances and sexual encounters with (possibly) hundreds of women and men, Giacomo Casanova was much more than the envy of most men. Artist, philosopher, and businessman, he’s even received the Russel T Davies treatment. But the historical inaccuracies aside and the deeply troubling and likely unpleasant truth of some of these sexual encounters still leave the name on the tongue of many in relation to a lothario, a flirt and cad. Even if it is a far less common term than before.
But taken in by the idea of the legend, and now the reality of the man, a woman sees a few striking resemblances with the man. She’s a bit of a romantic. She loves sex. So, fancying boys from an early age and then again in their current stage, they create the persona of Nova, who in this one-woman show gathers and share her adventures in dating, and soirees of sex with the audiences of the Lyceum Studio to find out just why Casanova was so revered when in reality, he’d have been an absolute pain in the arse.
Writer and performer Obehi Janice’s comedic roots leave a distinct impression on the show, their storytelling often veers heavier into the punchline and chatter with the audience rather than allowing a sense of script or character to flesh out the titularNova. Weaving us through romantic and sexual entanglements, Nova seeks to advance on Casanova’s memoir of conquests utilising humour, guile and charm.
Crafting a sense of persona which is as large as life as can be, Janice re-moulds the legend of Casanova to contain these enormous and varied feelings of envy, awe, and endless frustrations. But Nova wants to transcend the man who made the moniker, who owns their sexuality, attitude, and presence. And while this is all communicated verbally by Janice, and Nissy Aya’s dramaturgy, Caitlin Sullivan’s direction just never quite achieves this ambition.
The comedy departs, and the intentions to dismantle the long-standing cultural idols begin to take a firmer footing. As the lighting shifts and the backdrop makes a touch more of an impact, it seems there’s a shift from the more stand-up elements to a theatrical sense of storytelling. Janice wants to be at the centre of the movement, to be funny and sexy whilst it all crumbles around her and dawns a new way forward. It’s all remarkably ambitious and exciting. The issue is that there’s this sense of waiting throughout, that the penny is about to drop and change the entirety of the show.
And it never comes.
The lukewarm revelations sit closer to a friendly chatter with a friend than a grand revelation we’ve been building towards. Janice’s storytelling mechanics are entertaining and quite often hilarious, but it’s a touch too informal for what feels like should have been something ‘more’ concerning sexual liberations, and the dusted antiquities of patriarchal attitudes to women and bodily autonomy. And though not every piece of theatre must claim some weighted sense of world-altering refinement: something of genuine substance may have been appreciated.
Runs until 27 August 2023 | Image: Stuart Armitt
Lukewarm Revelations
