Words: Elodie Marriott
5 stars
Every three days a woman is killed by a man. When a woman reports rape, she’s asked what she was wearing. When the government are asked to help, apparently there’s no money. The Beatles Were a Boyband follows three young women as they have to face the harsh reality of widespread misogyny in society.
In just an hour the show discusses many feminist issues such as doctors minimising women’s pain, death threats posted online by incels, and how abusers often avoid appropriate punishment if they’re talented. The script contains many recent references like Barbenheimer, making the speech feel very natural. The performances and dynamic between the leads is fantastic, each reacting differently to gender-based violence in an incredibly affective way.
It’s funny yet distressing, especially for a female audience who will be able to empathise with a lot of the content. The impact feels huge, it’s a call to action: ‘Ignorance is bliss. No, it’s privilege.’
But rather than smothering us with accusations that we should be doing more, The Beatles Were a Boyband inspires us to do what we can. Whether it’s watching Twilight with our friends to cheer them up, or drafting a petition for parliament, doing something is better than nothing… ‘I’m not going to stay silent just because it’s easier.’
The Beatles Were a Boyband
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose, Doonstairs
19.30
23-27 Aug
