Writer: Truly Siskind-Weiss
Director: Ellie Stevens
The narrative of The Strongest Girl in the World is obviously a very personal one for writer and performer Truly Siskind-Weiss. It is a tale of light and dark: the light of the life of a young girl before the loss of her father to kidney cancer and the dark of her life after, reflecting on the trauma now as the 26-year-old who is performing this show.
She is told of both her father’s diagnosis and prognosis just before being sent off to summer camp. Siskind-Weiss talks about the camp with such candour and warmth that you feel wrapped in one of the blankets by the roaring campfire and part of the group listening, so much so that the desire to chat and talk with this child and find out more is almost overwhelming. This contrasts well with the schoolchild Siskind-Weiss who is nerdy and low on friends but much taller than her classmates and takes up space, which she relishes. At camp, she is important and happy.
Throughout the show, using various points in her life, she represents to the audience the changes that occur before and after the loss of her father with sensitivity and understanding. The loss of the fearless carefree child as she becomes a teenager with no father is described well. The child whose therapist talks to her as a child when she has had that childhood snatched away from her is presented with humour and depth.
However, at 45 minutes this production feels too short. It is a story half-told, a circle not quite closed. The programme tells us that this is a journey to learn more about her late father and understand who her father was but what more is learned through the performance is unclear.
As a preview performance, before it goes to the Edinburgh Fringe, it is clear that there is a truly great show appearing from the world of Truly Siskind-Weiss. It would be nice to hear more about the shaping of the current Truly Siskind-Weiss, the one who wants her daughters to have tattoos on their arms so they outstretch them, take up space and shout aloud to the world. There is little doubt that this is going to evolve into something special and which will hopefully return to London after the Fringe.
A special mention to set designer Lorna Foster. From the campfire, to the sea, to the ski slopes and to the image of Truly Siskind-Weiss’ father, Foster shows a real talent for using simple props in an imaginative way on a small stage to great effect.
Runs until 3 June 2023
