Berkoff’s Women
Life is full of surprises, and I’m surprising myself here by wholeheartedly
recommending an evening made up entirely of pregnant prose and poetry by
that posing, posturing enfant terrible of the terribly infantile, Steven
Berkoff.
But however much I have long resisted his work, there’s no resisting the
power and panache of the brave, bravura performance delivered here by Linda Marlowe, his
one-time muse, as she celebrates a collection of his female characters, many
of which she originally created, in Berkoff’s Women.
In fact, so alternately powerfully and poignantly does Marlowe perform this
seamless, electrifying hour of rich, ripe language – verbal as well as
physical – that I am forced to reconsider my previous prejudice against its
author.
At this point, I am willing to concede that in these small, bite-sized
doses, and performed with such electrifying command and commitment, Berkoff’s writing have a
cumulative impact far greater than seeing any of the plays singly.
The 11 characters deftly brought to life in Berkoff’s Women become dazzling in their brief
appearances. Marlowe – who has won the 2002 Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice Award for Best Solo Performance for this show – is truly an amazing talent.
She has been in the business for some 40 years yet looks onstage as if she’s
barely 30, and this potent, powerful showcase of her vibrant acting skills
both honours her contribution to the playwright’s oeuvre yet selflessly
celebrates it at the same time.
