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A Girl is a Half-formed Thing, currently running at The Liverpool Everyman Theatre, is Eimear McBride’s debut novel, and won the inaugural Goldsmiths Prize in 2013 and the 2014 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction.
It has since been adapted by Annie Ryan who also directs the piece, and has gained success at the Dublin Theatre Festival in 2014 and then at the Edinburgh Festival 2015. Now on a nationwide tour, this amazing play is at the Everyman Theatre until Saturday.
Irish actress Aoife Duffin stars in this 80-minute solo piece and her performance from the start is astonishing. Her story is difficult to listen to in places as we hear about her brother’s cancer her jealous mother and her lecherous uncle. At 13 her childhood is changed forever by her uncle, and this is heart wrenching to watch as Duffin slips in out and of each character with tremendous ease.
As with everything in this play, all is stripped back and there is nowhere to hide. The stage is built so Duffin can be at eye level with her audience, there is nothing to distract us from what is happening on stage – there is no set and no costumes. The stage is black and empty, which adds to the atmosphere that Duffin creates with her storytelling. Her characters jump so quickly from one to the next but there is clear distinction from each that there is no danger in getting lost.
This is a brave production but one that holds it own throughout. Despite the difficult themes tackled, under Annie Ryan’s directorship this is a very good show and an incredibly moving performance from Duffin.
A Girl is a Half-formed Thing
Everyman Theatre Liverpool
April 5 – April 9th
PR Rating: ****
For more details about the show please visit: http://www.everymanplayhouse.com/whats-on