Chloe Wade Productions’ new play, As She Likes It, pivoted the Hollywood spotlight onto the truth behind the glamour at the Old Electric on Saturday.
Actor, writer and theatre maker, Chloe Wade, started writing her play, As She Likes It, alone in lockdown. Four years later the production is in full swing and touring the country. Everything takes time to happen and four years is pretty good going in the theatre world. But the play, which came to The Old Electric on International Women’s Day 2024, also points out that 100 years is too long to wait for change.
It centres on the little known story of 20-year-old dancer Patricia Douglas, who, in 1937, was brutally attacked and sexually assaulted at an MGM party in Hollywood. The young dancer took on Hollywood’s most powerful institution and filed charges which were swiftly dismissed and silenced.
Douglas’s story was the precursor to what has become the #MeToo campaign that women are still fighting today. Chloe Wade turns the proverbial big studio camera on this story in order to empower and inspire women to speak out and refuse to be silenced.
The five-women strong ensemble cast take on the archetypes of the Hollywood film industry – Leading Lady (Lucy Tuck), Damsel in Distress (Krupa Pattani), Sex Symbol (Tanika Yearwood), Screwball Comedy Queen (Stacey Evans) and Girl Next Door (the writer, Chloe Wade) – all skilled performances played with knowing looks to the 21st century audience in the theatre. With an equal assuredness, the actors also take on multiple roles of directors, studio bosses and crew – all men – as they take the audience through the difficult and shocking narrative where the male characters are unacceptable in their behaviour and dialogue.
There were smatterings of laughter from the audience in the early part of the performance, the kind where it’s easier to laugh than to squirm at the humiliation the characters are experiencing. Later the laughter is that of relief as the action takes a handbrake turn and the female characters start to fight back, at times in action and at others standing strong looking the audience in the eye.
Bringing the situation into modern day, the play demonstrates that intolerable behaviour from men in the industry still exists – witness the Harvey Weinstein case. The narrative moves into a what-if scenario where a man (played by one of the actors as a disembodied voice) is put through similar humiliations that were endured by the Girl Next Door character earlier in the play, highlighting its wholly unacceptable nature.
The fusion of live theatre and film footage brings a sense of the so-called Golden Age of Hollywood. Black and white clips from iconic movies in what are perceived as romantic scenes, highlight the truths as the enlightened audience start to realise what the female stars were really going through.
This intense script takes us expertly through a story that must be told and retold, pointing a finger at the patriarchy that persists in misogynistic behaviour. It still goes on despite campaigns to stop it, although hopefully some progress had been made. The men in the audience were there to support the cause and one took the unexpected invitation of audience participation in good part – and took on the menial task he was asked to do in a moment of light relief, yet full of meaning.
Five vibrant women, brimming with energy and passion, brought this vital story of injustice to life. The audience were totally invested in the show and the applause was heartfelt. Everyone took away plenty of food for thought, and an invitation to stand strong and empowered in support of all women, inspired by the actions of one women nearly a hundred years ago.
A moving piece of theatre with a gut-wrenching punch. Chloe Wade Productions have done their job.
As SHE Likes It is created with support from Olivier award-winning playwright Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (Emilia, Obsession, The Wasp), directed by Tilly Vosburgh (A Better Woman, The Man from Clare) and produced by Danica Corns (Edith, Still Floating, A Womb of One’s Own).
The Old Electric brings new and original theatre shows to Blackpool on a regular basis, making a major contribution to the creativity and culture of the town – take the time to look and spread the word.
