Review: Bog Witch, Soho Theatre, Walthamstow

The stage at Walthamstow’s newest venue is one of the largest I’ve seen in London,  and sometimes, when only one stand-up is performing, it’s looked a little absurd.  Which is why when I heard that Bryony Kimmings‘ latest show was to be put on at the venue, I did briefly worry that the same might apply, but in fact, the space is barely large enough to accommodate her remarkable talents. 

It’s a delightfully intricate production which initially suggests it will echo her previous show, as, for the second time in her life, Kimmings has agreed to move to the countryside. All we’re told about the first occasion is that it involved a breakdown,  drownings and a swift return to the city, but it’s done in such a way that it’s immediately apparent how awful the experience was. Yet, repeating past mistakes isn’t her only concern as she explains that she has a massive hole in her soul, and one that seemingly can only be filled by the horrors of capitalism. It’s a deft piece of writing that tells us so much about her character in a very short period of time, and it’s acted in such a way that, despite elements of bleakness, it’s also very, very funny. 

After the premise has been established, the show is split into the four seasons, which also echo her own mental health and wellbeing. Such a device in lesser hands could have been a little on the nose, but the variations in atmosphere Kimmings creates throughout this astonishing production are one of the things that make it such a unique creation. A mixture of beautifully filmed animal silhouettes cautiously exploring their environment is projected onto an enormous screen, while Kimmings does a similar thing in her new life in the countryside, and it’s a show with an ever-evolving lighting design, which is subtle but powerful. That’s also the case with the stark but enchanting set, while the soundtrack to her new setting makes it easy to forget we’re in a city of nine million and not the quiet, sparsely populated countryside that Kimmings wishes she could love the same way her family do. 

There’s a selection of voiceovers to move the narrative forward, and songs performed live, which are filled with warmth and humour but also suggestions of frustration, and the sense that all is not well bubbles along just below the surface.  For the first two-thirds of the show, it’s a laugh-out-loud funny, self-deprecating narrative, and though Kimmings may struggle with the hippy-ish or downright strange inhabitants of the countryside, she speaks about them with gentle humour and is always aware of her own failings. Without ever feeling preachy, it tackles the most important of themes and what it has to say about family, love, death, climate change, and all that being human can entail is wise, smart, sometimes heartbreaking and always memorable. 

It’s a show that runs for nearly two hours without an interval, and although that could have been exhausting, the time flies by here. Kimmings’ mix of confessional humour,  storytelling, songs and flights of fancy makes for a captivating and bewitching work,  and despite containing an incredibly satisfying denouement, it was something I didn’t want to end. 

Written, Performed & Directed by Bryony Kimmings. 
Co-directed by Francesca Murray-Fuentes
Lighting Designed by Will Duke
Projection Design by Lewis Gibson
Sound Designed by Tom Parkinson
Music Composed by David Butler
Video by Ian Syme & Tom Rogers
Animation by Maddy Wade & Nathan Fernée
Set & Costume Design by Sarah Blanc
Choreography & Associate Direction by Gemma Stockwood

Bog Witch runs at the Soho Theatre Walthamstow until Saturday October 25