EDINBURGH 2023: Review: LADY DEALER, Summerhall

Every day is the same for Charly. She’s a young woman in her mid-20s living on a council estate in Peckham. She’s recently experienced heartbreak so is keeping herself busy with work so as not to think about her ex, Chlo. Oh and her work is dealing drugs.

This poetic piece is written by Martha Watson Allpress and stars Alexa Davies as Charly. Charly’s morning starts with a cup of instant coffee and then switching on her two mobile phones. A nice modern smartphone for personal use and an old relic of a mobile for work calls. From the minute they’re on, the ringing is constant and she relishes in the popularity and being needed by people.

After noticing things are a little quiet one morning, she discovers neither phone has charged. There has been a power cut. This means there’s no distraction and she has to keep busy to stop from thinking about Chlo. 

The writing in Lady Dealer is as strong as Davies’ delivery and this is a real treat to watch. Charly questions whether the people in her life are making a connection or just a transaction. Do they want her, or just the weed she sells? 

Lady Dealer shows that being in demand doesn’t stop the loneliness and this is an energetic and captivating piece of theatre.

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