A caveat that generally applies to fringe theatre is that when a show is written by, directed by and stars the same person, they have probably taken on too much. Arnold Wesker wrote Annie Wobbler for Nichola McAuliffe in 1981, but it is difficult to discern how much of the original remains in this updated version, and there is no credit given to whoever revised the work. The play consists of three vignettes: Anna, Annabelle and Annie. The brief opening section, Anna, concerns a young woman who, despite graduating from university with honours, is insecure about a date she is about to go on. The character is not developed beyond a rather simplistic stereotype before we move on to the longest section of the show. The novelist Annabelle initially appears as a scatty tippler, silly and self-absorbed as she responds to questions from an offstage interviewer. Later, for no apparent reason, she metamorphoses into an assertive, testy, exercise-obsessed woman who goes through her gym routine while answering questions about her latest book. Finally, we come to the title character, the down-and-out Annie Wobbler, apparently a homeless old lady hanging around Waterloo Station. Again, this is a rather stock character, whose story of class oppression and whose reactions to her situation are entirely predictable. As for the direction, no one is credited, so one can only assume McAuliffe directed the piece herself. Being so close to the material may explain some of the discontinuity and lack of development in the narrative. However, this is less a show about its characters than a showcase for McAuliffe. Her ability to inhabit three women of different ages and at very different stages of their lives is impressive, but the material does little to stretch her versatility. Perhaps the opening caveat proves apt: McAuliffe has taken on a lot here, playing three parts while also apparently writing, directing and starring in the production. Ultimately, the piece may suffer because the one role she hasn't been able to assume is that of an objective observer of her own efforts.
Rated: ★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Ella Carmen Dale
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