Review: SHEDDING A SKIN, Soho Theatre

Peering through a tight crack between two screens is Myah, recounting her explosive departure from a dead-end job after being roped in for the company's diversity photograph. Her self-awareness is painfully critical and despite throwing punches against a sudden microaggression about her anger from the cameraman, she's still writhing with shame.

Shedding A Skin was first performed with a sell-out run at Soho Theatre in 2021. This award-winning play has returned and continues to shine as a celebration of passion, protest, and surprising connection.

Myah is in her thirties, recently single, homeless, now unemployed, and agonisingly uncomfortable in her own skin. After a tense weekend at her parents' it's time to get her life together... again.

"spare room, females only to apply, non-smoker, tidiness is important, to live with a mature woman."

Suddenly, she's twitching at the mat of Mildred's front door on the 15th floor. Mildred is an elderly Jamaican woman who loves Betty Harris and trips to her local market, and makes the best duckanoo. Myah affectionately refers to her as "Mrs T" and soon discovers that the gap separating them is far smaller than she first thought.

Writer Amanda Wilkin performs as both Myah and Mildred, jumping between Myah's childlike softness and Mildred's astute nature with ease. Playful direction by Elayce Ismail brings Mildred's cramped flat to life as the two women form a miraculous intergenerational friendship built on joy and respect.

As Myah begins to connect to her body and heritage for the first time, Rosanna Vize's initially restricted set readily unfolds at each milestone. The use of soft material in warm skin tones and Nina Dunn's tech-themed projection mirrors the script's themes of personal pride and shared humanity.

Myah's journey is littered with segments of voiceover to accompany Dunn's projections, revealing moments of connection happening in the same instance around the world. These snapshots are at times contrived but an overarching air of togetherness in Wilkin's text marries this theatricality with the deep sincerity of Myah's unconventional relationship with her landlord.

This one-person show feels polished in its entirety, providing a stable base for Wilkin's performance to shine. Wilkin is wickedly funny and unafraid to hold eye contact, even in moments of pain. As Vize's set expands, you feel yourself leaning forward in anticipation, eager to sustain the connection being built.

Shedding A Skin is humorous, energetic and at times bleak. Wilkin navigates Myah's experiences as a Black woman and an awkward millennial with open arms whilst recognizing the effects of generational trauma. This is a powerful story of honour and connection that has the potential to touch every member of the community in a way never before seen or experienced.

"the act of together, act of new skin honouring old skin"

Shedding A Skin at Soho Theatre until 26 March

Photo credit: Helen Murray

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