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A powerful ride into darkness. Even if you think you can’t identify with Spin you’ll certainly recognise where Kate Sumpter is coming from, and I defy you not to be moved.Summary
Rating
Excellent
Kate Sumpter has created a rare animal, a piece of work that is at the same time funny, sad, instructive and heart wrenching. The beginning of the show gets you pumped; if you’ve done any spin classes you’ll recognise that endorphin rush, that competitive incentive, the burn, the whoop whoop yey! Feel good! But when Sumpter starts to ask us why we’re there in that class, what’s our incentive, our objective, the internal feel-good feeling starts to ebb away. We’re asked to think, reassess, face our demons.
Sumptertakes us on a ride through the character’s life; weight gain, diets imposed by her mother, bullying at school through to the satisfaction and acceptance of being fit, healthy and thin via spin classes. The invidious psychological manipulation of society on young people that makes them believe that to be accepted and successful they need to be thin is laid bare in front of us.
Sumpter’s manic swings from jokey to anxious and distressed is a tough watch in which all but the hardest of hearts will recognise parts of themselves and the all-too-common experiences of people close to them. Eventually we find ourselves in Spin hell from which there is no escape.
The staging in such a small space is exceptionally creative and special mention must go to Robbie Butler and Oliver Hynds for their clever use of lighting and Jamie Lu and Lee Newby for the set and sound that draws the audience into the spin environment.
Sumpter’s energy to keep peddling for virtually the whole hour while presenting us with an emotional roller coaster has to be applauded. She has the audience in the palm of her hand from the very start and we stay with her to the tragic end. Spin should be on the secondary school syllabus and deserves to be seen by a much wider audience.
Written by: Kate Sumpter
Directed by: Sarah Jane Schostack
Produced by: 3 hearts canvas
Lighting Design by: Robbie Butler
Sound Design by: Jamie Lu
Set & Costume Design by: Lee Newby
Spin plays at Arcola Theatre until 20 January. Further information and bookings can be found here.
