Sherica (247:Theatre Festival – Manchester)

Venue: New Century Hall
Where: Manchester

Sherica was one of the high points of the 2011 24:7 Festival getting very positive responses from all who were lucky enough to attend. It seems almost perverse; therefore, that the author, Ian Winterton, has re-written a play that was so good in the first place. Freed from the limited one hour structure imposed by the Festival –  Winterton does not provide a cursory ‘director’s cut’, with a couple of extra scenes tagged on, but a revision that brings out new aspects of the play.

The basic plot remains the same. To support her younger sister in a posh school Katie works in the sex industry under the pseudonym Sherica. Blackmail arises when a pupil discovers that one of the married schoolteachers is a customer of Sherica.

The revisions make the play less contrived and the situations more realistic. The addition of a nasty pimp ensures a less romantic impression of Sherica’s profession. Although Sherica continues to command respect for self-sacrifice on behalf of her sister she has less control over her own destiny.  The play still contains the psychological insight that made the original so disturbing. Blackmailer Douglas has a fixation with his mother that brings an Oedipal aspect to his relationship with the lead character.

There are slight, but significant, revisions that nudge the focus of the play towards Michael – the schoolteacher who becomes involved with the sex worker. This is a daring approach as he is one of the least sympathetic characters in the play. It does, however, help draw out the theme of social inequality that runs through the play. Michael’s privileged background makes him accustomed to being able to buy his way out of trouble. It , therefore, raises the possibly that his infatuation with Sherica; might also be class based – an attraction to a bit of rough or to an objetct that can be discarded when no longer required .

It is hard to judge whether the revised version of Sherica is better than the original as watching a play is a lot different from listening to a reading. The former is an emotional experience whilst the latter is an analytical one. But the harder edge to the revised version certainly feels more true to life and the play is, therefore, all the more powerful. The rehearsed reading is such an intriguing process that you end up wanting to see the actual play all over again.

– Dave Cunningham