Live Performance Review - FEMOID.

Alea iacta est

Iris Warren’s politically-charged debut play FEMOID is a tragic exploration of girlhood to victimhood under the dark shroud of the growing manosphere. Directed by Isabella Day, it cleverly weaves dual timelines, covering the lives of three private high school girls - Olive (Natasha Pearson), Rory (Iris Warren), and Piper (Roisin Wallace-Nash) - as they approach womanhood. We see them, decked out in their all red Handmaids Tale-inspired school uniforms, as they grow and change, from discussing the ethics of priest fucking to freaking out over putting condoms on dildos, to experiencing their first kisses. A clock also begins its gruesome countdown to something inevitable, as themes of history, fate, and justice are discussed in the secondary timeline. This is all tied together by projected quotes from real life incel forums, contrasting the innocence of the girls with the supposed innate evil of ‘femoids’ - the derogative word used by them to describe women as subhuman. 

Misogyny tinges the everyday life of these girls, shaping how they view themselves and one another, particularly through the lens of sexuality. Symbolism and motifs tie together effortlessly throughout the narrative, from the girls studying Julius Caesar for an exam to their later reflection of his famous line “The die is cast.” This phrase ends up haunting the girls outside of the classroom, connecting not only to the Montreal massacre but to the pervasive reality of violence against women.

After all, how many times are we, as women, forced to learn about the exploits of so called powerful men admired by all but the women they raped and pillaged. FEMOID calls to the audience to examine what they know about the inevitable, and invites them to be angry about what is to come. Although the foreshadowing is strong enough to make the ending somewhat predictable, this does not diminish its impact. Instead you are kept in abject horror as you wait for the other shoe to drop. The script is so expertly crafted it makes you want to watch it all over again just so you can see everything tie together. 

The mixed media usage, whilst a clever way of contrasting the innocence of the young girls against the hostility of the rising Incel movement, was a bit unpolished at times. I found it hard to fully engage with many of the projected quotes, as they were simply too long for the time they were displayed - to the point that you really had to throw yourself into speed reading,which inevitably draws you away from the performance - but that could just be my inability to properly multitask. If my only critique for a show is some minor display changes, then you know it must be a damn good play.

So if you love sharp writing, amazing ensembles, a different historical perspective, and crying so hard you feel sick, then FEMOID is the play for you. 

4.5 out of 5 fake boyfriends

FEMOID. runs at Theatre Works from the 11th to the 21st of March. For tickets and more info, click here.