Review: Anna Hale: Control Freak, Museum of Comedy

“I work in theatre but I don’t only work in theatre, because there isn’t enough work in theatre,” Anna Hale explains at the start of her one-woman show. She tells us that she’s written the show and the music, directed and produced it, arranged the lighting, and even answers the phone in the box office – before going on to confess that not all of that is true. 

Anna loves to be in control. More than that, she needs to be in control of every aspect of her life, no matter how small. She’s not been on a date in seven years, because it’s impossible to predict the expectations of those around her: it was so much simpler at school, when a note passed in maths class was all it took to set up a liaison. 

As we peer deeper into Anna’s obsessive life, we start to understand her condition more clearly. Anna avoids any social situation that might involve food at which her behaviour might be judged, always carries a bottle of water with her, and always makes sure to find out where the toilets are whenever she arrives at a venue. And she does all this because she’s scared she might throw up. After all, we’re all secretly scared we might throw up in public, right? Right? Except, of course, most of us aren’t. For Anna discovers that she suffers from emetophobia, a literal terror of vomiting. 

A lengthy interaction with an automated therapy helpline contains some misunderstandings which could be genuinely comedic. But the curious decision has been taken to have the entire conversation pre-recorded, playing while Anna meanders around the stage, occasionally sipping from a water bottle. It’s an odd piece of direction, as Anna could so easily have played her side of the conversation; instead both she and the audience are detached from the dialogue and it disrupts the story, rather than furthering it.

From there, though, we move on to Anna’s relationship with the Australian therapist assigned to her case. From here on, the show becomes more personal and more intimate, as we see Anna’s psyche unfolding bit by bit. 

The show is as much sung as spoken, with Anna accompanying her fine singing voice on both piano and guitar. She also has a wicked way with the audience, at one point raising the teasing to a dangerously high level.

Ultimately, Control Freak is an exposition of Anna’s progress through her therapy – and, of course, the show itself is the culmination of that therapy. Which necessarily means it’s somewhat self-indulgent: but then any show in which the performer insists “I’m the main character” could hardly be otherwise. 

Written by: Anna Hale
Directed by: Eliza Beth Stevens 
Produced by: Cat Say Meow

The show was on for one night only at the Museum of Comedy. It will next play The Pleasance Courtyard as part of EdFringe, from Thursday 30 July to Sunday 24 August.