Joanne: Five Monologues for Women (NHB Modern Plays) by Deborah Bruce

by Deborah Bruce

Five characters share a common Joanne. But it’s not about her. It’s about Stella, whose tomorrow is as far away as winter from summer. It’s the way Grace finds her song on the footpath between two cars. It’s about Alice’s MBA wasted on plugging holes, Kath’s patients crawling alongside her after the night shift and it’s Becky caught in the crosshairs of what’s best and what’s right for her students.But what about her? What about Joanne?In Joanne, five of the most exciting voices in theatre explore the pressures on our public services as one young woman buckles under pressures of her own.The play comprises five interconnected short plays for a solo performer, written by Deborah Bruce, Theresa Ikoko, Laura Lomas, Chino Odimba and Ursula Rani Sarma.Commissioned by Clean Break, Joanne premiered at Latitude Festival in 2015, before transferring to Soho Theatre, London.

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Reviews

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

The idea behind this work is fascinating, and for the most part it is executed just as brilliantly, despite a few wobbly bits. It was originally done with one actress playing all five characters, but while I am sure that would be a tour de force performance, I think it would serve the play better to have five actresses on board.

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/201...