REVIEW: SOMETHING IS HAPPENING by Dodie Finamore at Lion and Unicorn Theatre 8 – 12 November 2022

‘A tour de force of movement and expression’ ★★★ ½

Coming out of Dodie Finamore’s “Something is Happening”, a savage deconstruction of the modern obsession with wellness, I knew two things. One, Ms Finamore has “Je ne sais quoi”, and two: I’m not 100% what category of show I just experienced.

Tightly blocked by director Jake Hassan, the shrill and vacuous Joy (played by writer Dodie Finamore) has the enthusiasm and drive you would absolutely desire in a primary school teacher. Joy takes us on a ‘journey’, teaching us through various surface engagements, how to be happy: a facile conflation of effect and cause, initially an hilarious parody, merging to bitter satire as Joy becomes increasingly obsessive, resorting to desperate measures.

The satire didn’t read immediately and perhaps a hotter pepper or worse ukulele miming would do the trick but overall Finamore’s dedication to props, and the consumption of them, reverberated with the obsessive way we pursue happiness in our society: with all surface, all gusto and no “real” lasting positive effects on our lives.

On entering the theatre, audience members receive name tags, simultaneously homogenizing and creating a sense of identity within the group. It is a sign of silliness to come, but organized shenanigans, as this is, after all, a workshop? I expected at the end to have us all remove our name tags in collective freedom from the tyranny of “Hello, my name is…” embarrassment, but that was not a chosen path.

“Something Real is Happening” left the audience slightly happier than when they had entered. Finamore would want us to reflect on ourselves. I don’t know if dancing wildly to fun music is the secret to happiness, but I think the point would be to try it, and if it doesn’t work, maybe make a charming show about it.

The climax, when it comes, is horrifyingly real, Joy is robbed of dialogue and dignity. A tour de force of movement and expression, Finamore has an undeniable ease as a solo performer and a gift for audience engagement. Raw and rough, this could, with work, be a breakthrough show for a promising young creative.

Something is Happening by Dodie Finamore at Lion and Unicorn Theatre, November 8th - 12th https://app.lineupnow.com/event/something-is-happening

Reviewer: Olivia Cardew is a North American actor/writer based in London.