Review: Work it Out at HOME is ’emotional, beautiful and intuitive’

Exercise classes and any kind of group where strangers come together with different reasons for attending, are usually filled with ‘characters’ and stories.

Every member has lived a life, regardless of age, and writer and performer Eve Steele has therefore chosen the perfect setting for this new comedy-drama, directed by Sarah Frankcom.

Work it Out at HOME

When Work it Out begins the door swings open and each person arrives carrying more emotional baggage than they could fit into the gym bag, you are reminded of the fact that everyone has stuff going on, regardless of a sunny disposition.

And this is where the character of Alice comes in.

She is the person responsible for this group.

Less steely than Mrs Wilkinson in Billy Elliot but just as determined, she dons a mask as she attempts to keep this small group coming back for more.

But with fights, struggles, drama and stuff from the outside coming in and lots of comic situations too, this feels a bit like trying to control the inhabitants of Fraggle Rock.

Marie by the brilliant Eithne Browne

Marie (played by the brilliant Eithne Browne) attends with her granddaughter Rebecca (Raffie Julien) and the two have a close bond.

But they also disagree about many things, Rebeca is here to make sure that Nan gets the most from the class and get her out of her flat, as she has many reasons to get out of there.

Shaq (Dominic Coffey) is quiet and why to begin with and as the story unfolds, you begin to see who he is, behind the facial ticks and the awkward body language.

Rob (Aaron McCusker) arrives overpaying the masculinity card, but beneath this tough exterior is a man in search of who he is, right now.

Eva Scott as Colette

Lastly, Colette (Eva Scott) is self-conscious and a people pleaser and the only person she never pleases is herself. Cue the music and watch them move like Jagger.

The classes themselves and the way that each member responds to being asked to step out of their comfort zone, are beautifully observed.

When you are in charge of a new group, you can have plenty of tumbleweed moments, as you attempt to get them to try something new. And Elizabeth Twells’ Alice has plenty of those.

Watching this performer convey her character’s attempts at stepping over the drama, like a dog muck on a busy pathway is perfection personified, as you know she has her stuff but she has to keep a lid on it.

Some of the characters have a monologue and this does take you out of the class and makes the play seem longer than it is.

Dominic Coffey and the dance of defiance

Dominic Coffey performs Shaq’s dance of defiance and this works far better, as it becomes a play without words and showing, not telling works better, as thanks to Eve Steele’s wonderful writing, you do know these characters without these spoken pieces to the audience.

The play deals with many different issues affecting people today.

I was struck by how much of it resonates and it is because the performances are so beautifully delivered; rich with detail with a raw quality which is deeply exposing.

You cannot help but feel drawn to these characters, as you know some of them, and others might be you.

I found myself nodding with recognition at one of the story arcs, and that is when a play does more than simply entertain.

A development towards the end of the play feels rushed and almost bolted on. It is emotional and it does affect you. But I wish that this had more time to breathe and develop, as the play went on.

The first half is too long and the second half suffers for that, as it feels like we are doing the exercise class on full pelt as we stretch, slide and pivot towards the finale.

Where this play works is the representation, as this is not a bunch of stereotypes and Sarah Frankcom’s direction is intuitive and it allows most of them the space to develop.

I loved Rebecca, as she is feisty, strong and completely in control, and she happens to be deaf.

And Shaq has been in the care system and feels discarded.

These characters are more than numbers and seeing them navigate the effect of government decisions which directly affect them packs a powerful punch.

Tickets for Work it Out at HOME

By the end, I wanted to attend this exercise class and let them all know I had their backs.

Work it Out is at HOME until 16th March and can be booked here