Portmanteau - Boxed In

Portmanteau: Boxed In

Portmanteau - Boxed InBoxed In explores many of the issues that I am most passionate about; gender roles and the associated stereotyping of expected behaviours, society’s urge to ‘box in’ and label the sexes, and specifically its arguably deeply-established roots in childhood and parental attitudes. Further, as an FE drama lecturer, I have noticed how this has become a hot topic for exploration in the past year; much student work explores these issues, there are websites such as Let Toys Be Toys dedicated to de-gendering play time, and even a hit song ‘Little Game’ by Benny exploring the many connotations of pink and blue.  Thus I came to this production intrigued by how this seemingly ‘zeitgeist’ issue might be approached, and whether Portmanteau could explore what was (for me) a well-trodden topic in a fresh or inventive way.

There is unquestionably a lot of substance behind this production; as Artistic Director Melissa Booth explains at the end of the show, the company have created the Boxed in Project, a fascinating website where people can share their own experiences of being ‘boxed in’ within assigned gender roles (a quite look yields the powerful example ‘when all my rage and sadness can only be justified as a biological monthly imbalance’). The influence of such perspectives is clear in the performance, where universal issues are explored and familiar experiences made real in a satisfying way. Yet conversely, it is perhaps the very recognisability of the material that at times for me makes it feel a little obvious; perhaps stating what we already know is not enough to fully engage us, even if, as in this case, it is done with slick professionalism and laudable energy?

The narrative itself is simple and well structured. Gender roles are explored through the experiences of fraternal twins James and Jessica. First presented as 25-year old adults in their day jobs (James is assertive and shooting ahead in his career, Jessica’s insecurities are holding her back from promotion) then returning to their family home to clear out boxes of their old toys. In the adults that these characters have become, we see the children that they once were, Jessica raised to be ‘super sweet’ and James to be ambitious and strong, stereotypes underscored by their choices of toys, Barbie and Action Man respectively.

Actors Lily Beck (Jessica) and Rose Wardle (James) bring their stories to life with well-honed physicality and a keen ability to multi-roll and to successfully parody the clichés spouted to their childhood  selves by ‘well meaning’ adults. Wardle sustains a believable male persona throughout, communicating an effective subtext of concealed vulnerability; a result of the pressure to conform as a man. The decision to have a female actor playing this male character was intriguing and puzzled me a little; if Portmanteau’s aim was to fully explore gender roles equally, might this have been better achieved with a male actor? The risk in not doing so is to potentially caricature one gender over the other. Stylistically, Director Booth used the Cellar’s relatively small space very well, with some particularly effectively choreographed movement scenes, and the writing (in collaboration with Eva Hibbs) stood out as being lyrical and well developed. Finally, a number of important questions were raised and explored, making this a valuable production, that could yet be pushed a little further to fully confront the issues raised in a really inventive manner.

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About Sarah Davies

Sarah is a Drama Lecturer (UAL Acting and Applied Drama), Freelance Writer, Facilitator and Improviser who has written for Total Theatre Magazine since 2011. Recent work includes play commissions from Theatre Centre, Menagerie Theatre and Now Press Play, and facilitation/directing for The Marlowe Theatre, All The World's a Stage and Improv Gym. Her recent improv performances include Mount Olymprov (Greece) with Big Bang Improv Boston, Amsterdam Improv Marathon,and Improfest (London).