EDINBURGH 2024: Review: I SELL WINDOWS, Assembly George Square Studios

What is the price we pay for ambition? 

What is the price we pay for grief? 

Directed by Jaquita Ta'le, I Sell Windows is a play that attempts to answer both of these questions (and more) through the lens of a young woman whose life feels as though it's at a standstill. She isn't sure if she wants to pursue her dream of acting anymore. She isn't sure if she's ready to take the next step with her partner. And she isn't sure why she's having the kind of dreams she doesn't want to wake up from. 

Caught in the crossroads of ambition and grief, she's trying to claw her way out. And she's selling windows on the side.

One of the great things about this production, from writer and performer Kacie Rogers, is that it does not shy away from showcasing the ugly side of grief - straying away from the more traditional (and perhaps palatable) presentations of loss we're used to seeing on stage. While we may feel for the narrator, we don't always agree with her actions. 

Rogers is a skillful performer, showcasing an ability to present complex emotions and real comedic bones simultaneously - the latter of which is particularly clear during her sales pitches when working as a window salesperson (hence the show's title). She's at her best during the play's most tense moments, but there's much to enjoy here.

This solo performance is accompanied by puppetry, which appears behind a screen on the left of the stage. However, due to the seating arrangement, this is often obscured from view, and some audience members may struggle to see it at all. As such, what is an interesting and somewhat unique narrative device feels underutilised. 

While staging restrictions are somewhat harder to tackle during Edinburgh Fringe productions, it would be nice for the work of the puppeteers to be able to shine as much as Roger's performance.

Furthermore, in diving unapologetically into the 'messier' side of grief, it would also be interesting to see some of the points expanded upon further, particularly the way in which the main character's partner is treated throughout the process. 

That being said, with a 60-minute run time, I Sell Windows is well-paced, engaging, and a thoughtful exploration of the intricacies of ambition and loss - something which audiences are sure to enjoy. 

I Sell Windows is at Assembly George Square Studios as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival until August 25.

Photo Credit: I Sell Windows

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