Although it wasn’t a solo performance, Caroline Horton is primarily a solo performance artist. I saw Mess at Lincoln’s Drill Hall on the 17th of April. I was not sure what to expect from the performance. My preconceived idea was that anorexia was something people explored in GCSE or A Level drama performances, and nothing ever changed.
But Horton’s performance was fresh and inspirational. Alongside Hannah Boyde and Seiriol Davies, Horton explores anorexia. Horton herself has been anorexic and had been hospitalised for 4 years. The performance was moving, funny, awkward and enthraling. They approached the subject with honesty and awareness, which added to the emotional aspects in the performance. Horton didn’t shy away from difficult subjects such as death or the reality of the illness. Horton played Josephine, a girl who was anorexic. Boyde played Boris, the male perspective in the play and Josephine’s best friend. Davies played music, and various characters.
There was points in the performance in which I felt that I wanted to intervene. Mainly because Boris who so oblivious to Josephine’s illness that it was uncomfortable to watch. But this highlighted the nature of the illness and how people don’t understand the control which the sufferer has over their eating habits.
The performance was one of the best pieces of theatre I have ever seen in such an intimate space. I learnt a lot about tackling difficult subjects from the performance and hope to use these in my performance.
