Reviewer: Daniel Shipman
Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Split Britches are Peggy Shaw and Lois Weaver – a legendary theatre duo who have been making work together for over 40 years. Their casual references to the longevity of this collaboration are reflected by the partnerships in the audience – spouses, siblings, and friends. The presence of one of my closest friends only added to the emotional resonance of the performance. After years of division via social distancing and Zoom, we are finally allowed to be present in theatres again. Together with our loved ones, and together with incredible performers.
According to Split Britches’ website, Last Gasp was conceived before the pandemic as an exploration of the demise of “ageing bodies, civil conversation, and a sustainable planet.” In a timely twist of fate, it ended up premiering as ‘Last Gasp: WFH’, demonstrating how legendary theatre troupes were subjected to the same restrictions as the rest of us.
Having seen Split Britches perform together before, I thought I knew what I was in for – a self-aware combination of broken theatrical convention and well-constructed comedy. I was wrong. Last Gasp intentionally raises so many questions and provides so few answers, but it will break your heart. The comedy is still present, but everyone in the room is acutely aware that there is little left to joke about. The content of the show is so disjointed that I couldn’t provide a brief summary that did it justice, but as a general indicator of the tone: this is Carly Simon and Bill Withers soundtracking the apocalypse.
Shaw and Weaver’s material candidly questions mortality in all senses – the mortality of performers, of the planet, and of the open political dialogue which has defined much of their career. Last Gasp also questions the existence of live performance itself. Whilst the audience might be expecting a show which includes both parties present on stage for the duration, the evening mainly consists of a solo performance by Weaver, accompanied by halting, glitching, digital monologues from Shaw.
It is a bold decision for a renowned duo to mount a show relying on technology for the presence of one member at this late stage in their career, but this is a testament to the restless inventiveness which characterises their work. Once Shaw does (briefly) appear, her words are genuinely devastating.
Appropriately, I couldn’t put it better than my friend’s candid remark as we left the theatre together: I’ve never known a performance to mean nothing and everything at the same time.
-Daniel Shipman
Catch Split Britches: Last Gasp at Contact until Thursday 1 December.