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Fab & Flo tackle functional neurological disorder with a mix of sincerity and bizarre humour - the perfect way to bring chronic illness to fringe theatre. Summary
Rating
Good
It’s always nice to find a new venue close to home, and on an evening like tonight when summer finally seems to have arrived, it’s a joy to stroll there. Less of a joy when it is tucked away behind a church, and you accidentally walk into an election hustling and are bombarded with flyers. It seemed like many of my fellow theatre goers experienced similar, but on finding the comparatively safe haven of the theatre around the corner, tucked away under Putney Bridge, we were intrigued to see what was next.
Sister duo Fabienne & Florentina Bowden have written and perform in Unexpected, Unexplained & Totally Glitchy. It’s a play based on one of the sisters’ first-hand experience of functional neurological disorder (FND), which sounds intense, and at times it is. But at the hands of Fab & Flo, it’s also full of hope and optimism.
We first meet Lucy (Florentina) before FND; she’s taking on multiple jobs and looking after her Dad. However, she soon develops concerning symptoms and the story sees her on the path to diagnosis, and also as she tries to manage the neurological disorder. This is the serious side of the play, with video footage on a small screen showing us depictions of the symptoms – mostly involuntary spasms and tremors.
Yet Fab & Flo tackle this tough reality with a quirky personification of the so-called ‘malfunctions’. Fabienne plays many roles in the play, but the most successful is her portrayal of these. A pre-recorded film, which could have come right from the minds of the Mighty Boosh, depicts the malfunction inside Lucy’s brain. It turns the struggles of the disorder into a frankly bizarre comedic moment, and is pure genius. You could feel the audience wondering whether it was appropriate to sing along.
More serious and tender moments are depicted through live songs, mostly performed by Florentina. Her vocals are tender, and whilst she occasionally struggles to be heard above the recorded track accompanying her, these performances offer an insight into the thoughts of someone with FND. Hopefully with future success, and budget, live musicians could join Florentina on stage for a more sensitive accompaniment.
The show swings between bizarre comedic segues and serious, thought-provoking moments. And at times this does feel a little jumbled. It’s a show that needs a little more polish yet there’s no doubting its potential. The final song is truly empowering, as we see Lucy’s progress since diagnosis, and the tears of Fab & Flo when they take their bows show just how much this means to them. I leave educated about FND, with a smile on my lips and a tear in my eye – what more could we ask for from fringe theatre?
Written and performed by Fabienne & Florentina Bowden
Music and Lyrics by Harry Creffield
Unexpected, Unexplained and Totally Glitchy runs at Wandsworth Arts Fringe until Wednesday 19 June.
More information and booking details can be found here.
The show is also raising money to support FND awareness via Just Giving.
