Review: BALLÍ/WALLS (53Two, Manchester)

Review by Eleanor Rose Clarke

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

The tale of a young woman, struck by love in her beloved city, Kelsea Knox’s one-woman play BALLÍ/WALLS, written and performed by herself, comes to life under the arches at 53two in Manchester. A home to new writing and politically-driven productions, is this production another success for the community-driven venue? 

Taking place in Belfast in 1969, this piece follows Eve, a young girl, on one fateful night. From her brass father, to her cousin ‘Tanksy’, whom she follows in the footsteps of, to the auntie she describes in words I won’t repeat here, we are given a rounded picture of Eve’s life in this short runtime. Addressing ‘you’, a southern man Eve meets in the pub, we come to see how their relationship reflects their surroundings and ultimately, changes Eve’s life for good. With themes of home, family, love and war, the play explores a young girl’s place in the turbulent streets of a city struck by political uproar, but more importantly, a city she calls home. 

The performance feels completely honest, with the 55-minute runtime flying by thanks to Knox’s heartfelt writing, which flows in the train of thought style. Knox’s storytelling is full of Ireland’s rich cultural identity, and the intimate setting builds a feeling of connection in that we are gathered together, listening to this girl’s tale. But despite being a one-woman play, primarily told by Eve, the piece takes shape with multiple defined characters, all characterised by Knox, her charm and her understanding of these people as part of herself.

Knox’s performance is spacious, taking her time with the script and letting her expressions and actions carry the story as well as her words. There is a slowness and gentleness which strengthens Knox’s performance, giving the audience a moment to consider each line spoken and movement taken. She breaks the fourth wall, which works especially well in gaining the audience’s trust within the first few minutes of the performance. The softness and openness to connection in Knox’s Eve brings this young girl to life, a girl with a genuine love for home, which shines through under the rubble and ruins of its contextual setting.

Walking into the darkened space, faced with a barricade of props and metal bars, the contextual tone of the show is immediately set. Frankie Lipman and Kelsea Knox’s set combines elements of destruction with elements of home, and the set does not only operates as a backdrop, but as a living thing, where Knox uses props and set pieces to tell the story. This technique is especially successful and a standout feature of this performance. Knox builds characters from the rubble around her, providing a moment of humour and satisfaction for her audience, who react vocally countless times during the show, only speaking for how engaged they are, whilst implying that the spirit of home and family flows through her surroundings, no matter how displaced they become.

The use of sound and 53two’s theatre space go hand in hand in creating a highly immersive environment. The sudden sound that opens the show is haunting as it echoes around the unique, arched space, a feeling only heightened by the space where this theatre is housed. The sound choices, alongside George Miller’s lighting, are bold and unafraid to be loud, often forcing Knox to raise her voice to be heard. The strength of the technical choices mirrors the forceful attacks on Belfast and attempts to quiet Eve’s spark, which she doesn’t allow, always returning to her heartfelt storytelling and gentle demeanour, reminding us of her love for this city, no matter what and her place amongst it.

A home is still a home in a city struck with violence, even when the ones we love the most are taken away and used to break us. Kelsea Knox delivers this complicated realisation with nuance and pride in this emotional piece of writing and honest performance, accompanied by production choices that clearly understand the written piece and operate only to excel its success.

BALLÍ/WALLS is playing at 53two in Manchester until the 17^th April. Get your tickets at: https://www.ticketsource.com/53two/e-adayyd