The Glitch is set up in a very intimate way for Tana Sirois‘s solo play UnTethered, and it seems we have a couple of tasks to complete before the show begins.
Sirois introduces her dating profile – 35, queer, demisexual, Scorpio, actor. She explains that she requires an emotional connection with someone before physical intimacy.
The show invites us to play as potential partners for her through a series of games and interactions. But that’s not the whole story, as her own deepest fear around the world’s oncoming destruction keeps coming to life.
It’s a deeply personal and expressive play. It demonstrates a strong sense of physicality with a thoughtful script around OCD, coping strategies, and connection.
With space allowed for a very small audience, around 25 or so, there is ample opportunity to observe and reflect on who we are as people, as well as who Tana is, and what her show is trying to tell us.
The word ‘trauma’ often rings alarm bells, and it is certainly symbolised in various ways here, literal and otherwise, holding back and letting go depending on the situation.
A co-performer in full bodysuit acts out Tana’s fear, covered in plastic bags, and tries to consume her identity. A chatty puppet with a squeaky and sinister goads her to anxiety and obsession about the little things in life.
In a recent interview, Tana has said that she now enjoys performing UnTethered, and it is certainly a play that reveals her vulnerabilities while inviting us to share ours.
Words, dance, and expressionism characterise UnTethered, and the moments of comedy are offset beautifully by more serious routines. An audience member is invited up to stare into Tana’s eyes, and another (me, as it happens) is asked to play as “tether.”
OCD is described as a more complicated matter than compulsive handwashing. It’s an overwhelming mental condition that can overwhelm daily life. On each of our seats, we have a booklet with explanations from OCD.uk.
UnTethered is a slow burn across its 65-minute runtime. Tana is a vibrant and warm performer, with striking eyes, long hair, and the gift of connecting with everyone in the room.
It’s a piece that commands attention while never feeling uncomfortable or ridiculous.
5 stars.
UnTethered is at The Glitch until 26 May. It visits Brighton in July and the Edinburgh Fringe in August. Find details here.
Image credit: Skyler Reid