Review: WHEN IT HAPPENS, Tristan Bates Theatre

Three women are caged by their own lives. One hates her office environment (Rachel Causer), one is an exasperated mother (Roisin Bevan), one feels oppressed by the patriarchy (Niamh Watson). Then at 2:16 everything changes, an energy takes over and they engage in an animalistic liberation from societal expectations and demands.

Rachel Causer writes a caustic comedy that hits all the sweet spots of the feminist revolution. With direction by Kennedy Bloomer, When It Happens deconstructs the bonds inflicted on women by society and uncovers the nonsensical restrictions of gender roles.

The project is dynamic and snappy in its storytelling: Bevan, Causen, and Watson retell the events leading up to the switch with clever use of microphones and soundscape, hiding a sharp social critique behind humour and satire.

They tackle sexism and micro-aggressions, patronisation and patriarchy with the tongue-in-cheek attitude of someone who's got nothing to lose. Creepy male colleagues, perfect mothers who make it look so easy, and inappropriate catcalling push the three heroines to the brink of their dramatic breakdown and kick-start their rebellion.

They welcome the liberated nature of women who've had enough of being put down for who they are and engage in their own acts of insurrection until the outside world comes knocking again, urging them to understand that if they'd known how to behave, they wouldn't have created such a mess for everyone.

The show is a joyous, smart, and thoroughly riotous piece of theatre with the definite potential to last past this Camden Fringe.

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