Review: Outside In at Gullivers Lounge is ‘A hilarious journey of self-discovery’

A humorous account of one woman’s life spent trying to navigate the social landscape, Outside In explores that very human need to belong to a gang or clique, written and performed by Ilaria Passer.

Along the way, her journey leads her to question whether we should limit ourselves to just one identity, or, rather, keep our options open and accept that we are each more than we can or should be pigeonholed as.

With a wardrobe of costumes that represent each stage of her journey, the audience is taken on a hilarious tour of self-discovery, beginning with her earliest days wrestling with this most human of conditions.

Ilaria entertains the audience with humorous accounts of her experiences as an elf for an Arndale Santa Clause with explosive bowels, as well as her kidnapping from Brownies by an ice cream man.

However, the show’s main focus is on her association with the two main social factions in Ilaria’s life – the ‘Dubai Bitchez’ (also known as the cocks and curtains) and ‘the Poets’.

In contrast to the former, which represents a desire to dress up and go to swanky parties, the latter represents a more artistic, conscientious, and spiritual side.

Throughout her life, the fear of conflict and incompatibility had kept the groups apart, but ultimately, that fear proved unfounded when they get on well at a poetry reading, serving as an effective metaphor for realising that we are each more than one thing when we come to terms with it.

The message is that we are each more than just what others may perceive from the outside, and that ‘having one foot in Doc Martens and the other in patent leather’ is a more accurate reflection of who all are.

In our youth, we desperately strive to fit in at all costs, but after a while, we realise that it is our individuality that defines us.

Throughout its hour runtime, it is a candid and insightful description of Ilaria’s journey of self-discovery that engages the audience and takes them on a journey we can all relate to.

There are plenty of laughs along the way and it will leave you with plenty to think about.

Outside In will be performed at Gulivers Lounge on the 26 July 7.30pm (50 mins), and 30 July 2.30pm (50 mins) – tickets £6 – conc £5.

This article was first published on 26 July 2023 and is subject to be updated from time to time. Please refresh or return to see the latest version.
Last updated 1 year ago.

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