Review: PARADISE NOW!, Bush Theatre

It all starts with a friend request out of the blue. Before you even click accept, there's a new message in your inbox from a school peer you haven't seen in over a decade. Someone reaching out because they've got an exciting surprise for a tenacious, fabulous person like you, of course!

Welcome to Paradise, the latest multi-level marketing scheme for every girl boss in need of a financial lift. Who could argue a £250 start-up fee and enough essential oils to fill a swimming pool when you're so close to paving the way to self-employed luxury?

Paradise employee Alex (Shazia Nicholls) wants to build an empire of "dedicated and ferocious" women all in pursuit of quick and easy income. Determined to hit the top tier within the company, she slowly recruits an eclectic team, all trying to peddle essential oils and enlist new members under their own supervision.

Earnest Gabriel (Michele Moran) joins in an attempt to lift away from depression and provide her sister, Baby (Carmel Winters), with a much needed second income for their home. Gabriel herself recruits Carla (Ayoola Smart) meaning reluctant girlfriend Anthie (Annabel Baldwin) somehow finds herself tagging along to every Paradise-themed event. Laurie (Rakhee Thakrar) is the lowest Paradise earner and desperate to prove herself as her colleagues swiftly rise in rank. Within this collection of bold personalities, you're bound to find lived experience that may not only make you laugh but will also sincerely tug on your heartstrings.

Smooth wooden walls and faded teal carpet conjure an eerie feeling of backroom nostalgia; it's a space that seems familiar but is plagued by an unsettling sense of dishonesty. Even the stage crew's shining turquoise blouses adorn the action with a glistening falsehood. No amount of Paradise oils can calm the foreboding feeling that everyone is being taken advantage of by powers way beyond their control. The essence of Paradise is firmly rooted in faux feminism and Paradise Now! feels like a direct critique, not only of pyramid schemes, but of social constructs that thrive on exposing and harnessing personal weakness.

Margaret Perry's script is wonderfully naturalistic, with writing that isn't afraid to tap into the fallout from attempting to reinvent ourselves without due care. The characters may be leveraging their own vulnerabilities against weekly sales targets, but the cast oozes synchronicity throughout with superb direction (Jaz Woodcock-Stewart and Dubheasa Lanipekun.) Behind the prosecco and forced smiles, we're offered well-crafted glimpses of intimacy and nudity that feel safely embodied, thanks to considerate movement direction (Sung Im Her and Ioli Filippakopoulou.)

In reality, what bonds this group is much more than lavender and patchouli. Their experiences are almost seasonal - they share in each other's triumph and pain even when apart. The collective aftershocks of the annual work party run deep, as everyone's flaws are brazenly exposed with humour and care.

Paradise Now! strips away the idea that manipulation simply derives from a singular, selfish person. On the contrary, this is a two-hour and 40-minute dissection of human nature and what we are willing to do for the approval, validation, and the memory of others.

You can expect fantastic performances to a soundtrack packed with dancefloor fillers, but there's no doubt that you'll rethink any job offers sliding into your DMs anytime soon.

Please note, there are a number of trigger warnings in place for this production. For a full list, please visit the Pre-Show Information available.

Paradise Now! is at the Bush Theatre until 21 January 2023

Photo Credit: Helen Murray