REVIEW - MY DAD WEARS A DRESS - BARONS COURT THEATRE -

Based on real life, My Dad Wears A Dress is a joyous celebration of childhood sprinkled with meaningful reflections on the binaries perpetuated by society.

Telling a friend of many years something that she had never mentioned before, the audience is let in to this personal story first hand. Barons Court Theatre allowed for an intimate environment and an easily transformable space which had been modified to a diary with chalk written words that seemed random but became clear within the show.

Opening with a serious deliverance of a comedic statement sets the tone of the piece. A fine art of writing is apparent in the way it is both humorous yet informative – a commendable balance. Consisting of many skits from her school days, there are moments that could be relatable to many, from Valentine’s Day confessions to toilet mishaps, as well as elements that are purely distinctive to Maria. Each snippet is quick, easy to follow, and straight to the point, leaving no time to look away from Telnikoff’s captivating performance. The use of relevant music, costume changes, and a slide show fills in the transitions, making it all flow seamlessly, intertwining audience interaction, which Telnikoff wasn’t afraid to do.

Unfortunately, due to the seating, I couldn’t see the slideshow clearly, which may have explained the timeline which I found confusing to follow. However, this may be more down to the space than the structure of the show.

Telnikoff’s one-woman performance is a comfortable space to be in. She shows her outstanding acting abilities within multi-rolling and professionalism. When a mouthful of food stopped her from continuing dialogue, at no point did she lose track of it. The whole one-hour performance is filled with energy, passion, and visual story-telling, making it enjoyable to watch. This being said, there is so much being crammed in this time frame. This play depicts the importance of theatre in allowing stories to be shared. It is a personal telling of an experience, which is so poignant to society today. By the end of this narrative, there is no doubt the audience had been let in to a celebratory deliverance that is deserving of a place on stage as Maria shows acceptance and her true self.

{🎟 AD – PR invite – Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review}

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