ajhlovestheatre

YOGA & SEX…FOR WOMEN (OVER 40)

written and performed by Kathryn Haywood

directed by Dan Mersh

Etcetera Theatre London

12 – 14 January 2024

Next dates: Brighton Fringe 18 – 19 May 2024

https://www.brightonfringe.org/events/yoga-sex-for-women-over-40/

The spirits of Joyce Grenfell and Victoria Wood hover lightly over Kathryn Haywood’s delightful self-devised piece, which would be a solo show, and a pretty hilarious one at that, if it weren’t for the various audience members dragged out of the front row to participate. Inspired by a trio of 1960s Australian self help books – ‘Yoga For Women’, ‘Sex And Yoga’ and ‘Yoga Over Forty’ – it looks with a satirical eye and through a present day lens at the outdated attitudes to women and ageing espoused by such unreconstructed tomes. It’s often rambunctiously funny, but has a satisfying, perhaps surprisingly hard, bite.

We first encounter Haywood’s Aussie yoga instructor Kath winding up a class for flatulence sufferers while fielding text messages from an upcoming date. She’s a sunny oversharer, cheerfully telling us she’s playing it cool with the potential new boyfriend because “I don’t want him to know I’m easy”, and the script finds some lovely comic mileage in the contrasts between yogic serenity and the character’s occasional tetchiness. Kath unravels, not quite completely but very satisfyingly, as she attempts, in vain, to find the benefit and relevance of yoga designed to ensure that you “stay slim for your husband”, “save your unhappy marriage” or keep the wrinkles at bay.

Underneath the warm grin and gossipy chumminess, there are strong indications that Kath is a judgemental control freak, and possibly a bit of a nightmare (“could you make your voice sound a bit nicer?” she tartly demands of an audience member she has enlisted to read out some instructions), with more interest in herself and her libido than passing on the zen-like benefits of yoga. Haywood is terrific at suggesting the opposing traits of the character, and has the most glorious comic timing. She draws you in by being tremendously likeable, cheeky even, then hints at a mean streak that really ups the dramatic ante. It’s a fabulous performance, and her Australian accent is flawless.

Some aspects of the script need work: a running joke about consistently getting audience members names wrong isn’t clear in intention so doesn’t always land. The sequence preceding the ending feels rushed, as Kath tried to lead us to a touchy-feely conclusion that doesn’t feel organic. These are comparatively minor quibbles but in a show that lasts less than an hour, there’s definitely room for further fleshing out and expansion, particularly since Kath is such fun, off-the-wall theatrical company in Dan Mersh’s fleet, enjoyable staging.

Haywood is an authentic comic talent, and Yoga & Sex…For Women (Over 40) is a quirky, bonkers and altogether engaging mini tour de force. I really hope it gets a further life.