Charlotte McBurney is mesmerising in The City for Incurable Women, a captivating solo show delving into the intricate history of hysteria. A homage to the women of the past who were deemed “mad”, this crash course confronts the impact of former thought on society today.
Going back to Paris in the 1880s, specifically the Salpêtrière Hospital, Dr Jean Martin Charcot is in the midst of studying hysteria. Charcot hosts lectures for the public, demonstrating the different stages of madness and using women as puppets for his audience.
Writer Helena McBurney’s script tells a fascinating and unique, engaging and powerful story, offering a feminist reflection on how women were treated medically through history. It traverses different supposed cures for madness, from smelling salts to vibrators to marriage.
The City for Incurable Women’s director, Christina Deinsberger, does an exceptional job of utilising both the stage and the body. The actor’s physical movement throughout the play is captivating, challenging expectations and helping to create an immersive and raw performance.
On arrival, the stage features a piece of plastic on the ground, with metallic structures in the background. There are few props used throughout, a single lemon and water bottle being the most memorable.
Actor Charlotte McBurney is a powerhouse, delivering a performance that makes the play distinctly outstanding. It is particularly impressive how the show is able to cover hysteria in such depth whilst including humour.
A number of sequences feature movements and speech that are repeated, creating a hysterical feel and involving the audience in Salpêtrière Hospital.
McBurney does a wonderful job of engaging with the audience, confident and controlled in their approach. On occasion, the actor is complemented by speech through audio sounds, at times creating a comical back-and-forth that they do an expert job of navigating.
Fish in a dress’s The City for Incurable Women is a spellbinding show, with McBurney offering one of the most unique, thoughtful and impactful performances that I have had the pleasure to witness at the Fringe so far, and which does justice to women throughout history. Do go see it before it wraps up.
