Low Level Panic

by Clare McIntyre

Three flatmates. A single bathroom. And a whole world of men. In this funny, unapologetic play, three twenty-something women figure out how they really feel about sex, their bodies and each other. With a vibrancy and stylistic freedom, Low Level Panic interrogates the effects of society's objectification of women. Low Level Panic premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in 1988, winning the Samuel Beckett Award. This edition was published alongside its first major revival at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, in 2017. 'Low level panic is the constant fear that runs through women's lives like a cold underground stream, its source is male violence and it is fed by tributaries of pornography. Clare McIntyre's play looks at the repercussions this fear has on the lives of three women' - Time Out 'McIntyre has a deadly accurate ear, a subtle sense of humour and a deep fund of she writes with thrilling understanding' - Sunday Times

Genres: Plays

76 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 16, 2017

Reviews

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's rather amazing (as well as sad) that a play written and first performed 35 years ago is still so relevant to women's lives today. It details the day-to-day existence of three flat mates sharing a small bathroom (in which all but one scene takes place), revealing how women have to negotiate the world in constant awareness of the male gaze and the possibility of incipient violence. Although rather severely truncated, there is a BBC production on YouTube that shows just how timely the play still is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY34I...

https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/th...

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Llegit per l'assignatura Gender Studies (Women's Literature in English).

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This play investigates how the way in which women are objectified and sexualised, influences the way in which women see themselves. How the world is a dangerous place for women, even is so called modern society.
The characters reflect on their fears and fantasies with the others.
This deals with some very hard topics but shows the truth of it all. What I enjoyed was that the playwright injected some humour into the play. We follow through the eyes of three woman in their twenties, and I loved how you could see distinct characters and how they have been affected differently.

It’s was a nice read and I flew through the play.


Content warnings: explicit content/ language, sexual assault and unhealthy body ideals.