Theatre Review: Lola, Unity Theatre, Liverpool

Oct 6 2008 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

Georgina Roberts as Lola Montez _220

THE life and loves of the then “most famous woman in the world”, Spanish dancer Lola Montez, were the scandal of the times in 19th- century society.

Actress, dancer, courtesan, and muse were just some of the roles she created for herself, as she made her way around the world.

Yet, not only was she not a trained dancer, but, despite passing herself off as Mediterranean, she was, in fact, Irish-born.

This new play by Trestle theatre company began as Lola, formidably taken on by actress Georgina Roberts, addressed the audience as if students at a lecture.

Immediately brimming over with vibrancy, sensuality, confidence and passion at a time when women were seldom seen to be so direct, Roberts’s Lola had saucy charm in spades.

Fiona Putnam had the unenviable task of playing all the other major figures in Lola’s life, male and female, including lovers of all nationalities and family to boot.

The energy between the two actresses was electric as they journeyed back and forth through Lola’s tumultuous life.

Their timing and interaction together, as they made use of every single prop on stage, in a myriad ways, was mesmerising.

The only other player on stage was flamenco guitarist Ricardo Garcia who produced a range of sound effects with a single instrument.

Inventive and imagin-ative, stripped-down, yet rich and evocative, fantastical yet completely convincing every step of the way, it was as effortlessly enjoyable as it was a challenging piece to take in.

VICKY ANDERSON