Words: Francis Wylde

3 stars

“Furniture and boys have a lot in common.” From drawers that won’t open up to finding her shelf, Emily Weitzman’s new solo show explores her relationships with men through furniture.

From an old sofa she keeps going back to, to a broken chair she carries everywhere with her, there are very few household-related items Weitzman doesn’t have a gag for. Part TED Talk, complete with PowerPoint presentation, part poetry competition and part musical, Furniture Boys spans an eclectic mix of forms as Weitzman talks us through relationships past, present and imagined. After all, one difference between men and furniture is that furniture doesn’t talk: “every heterosexual woman’s dream.”

It’s a witty concept, and at moments Weitzman feels close to tapping into something genuinely profound. But, much like the drawer that won’t open, the show never quite gets to its heart. In fact, a subplot involving the song “Do You Want to See My Insides?”, in which Weitzman reveals framed images from her endoscopy and recalls a previous partner’s discomfort at seeing them, feels like the more compelling metaphor. Beneath the jokes lies something fascinating about the uncomfortable reality of truly being seen, and our very human desire to be known and loved.

Weitzman is a confident and personable performer. The set feels as though she has invited us into her apartment, complete with sofa, shelves and television, and her warm stage presence complements this intimacy.

Furniture Boys is inventive, playful and consistently enjoyable, even if its most interesting ideas remain tantalisingly out of reach.

Furniture Boys
Jersey at Underbelly, Bristo Square
14:30
5th – 30th August (not 18th & 25th)