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Review: 1972: The Future of Sex
Sex started for eternal misery Philip Larkin rather late in 1963. For the Wardrobe Ensemble, it was a clumsy, joyful, passionate awakening almost a decade later in 1972.
Weaving together multiple storylines involving a love-struck rock star, an engaging lecturer, a Bowie fan and a captivated student, the Wardrobe Ensemble have zoned in on the early 70s as a Ground Zero Sexual Revolution that, through a series of flash forwards, shows how we then evolved into the Spice Girls, Clinton and Britney Spears.
Walking a fine line between ‘aren’t we clever?’ and ‘isn’t it funny dressing up in geeky 70s gear?’, 1972: The Future of Sex wisely acknowledges what came before. Giant penis cave drawings, Mary Wollstonecraft’s call to arms, Emily Davidson and Linda Lovelace all help to depict how each character has been influenced by the generation before, their own generation and their hopes for the future.
The script does suffer from too many cooks, with sections often telling and showing at the same time: and the dialogue could afford to be pared back in the name of subtlety. However, if an attack of the senses is what you’re after, this is the show for you.
Enhanced by a terrific live soundtrack courtesy of Tom Crosley-Thorne, a physical language that makes full use of the new Wardrobe Theatre and a company truly in sync with each other, 1972: The Future of Sex offers an intelligent and funny, if slightly over-written sexual odyssey.
1972: The Future of Sex continues at the Wardrobe Theatre until Saturday, March 26. For more info and to book tickets, visit www.thewardrobetheatre.com/livetheatre/1972-the-future-of-sex
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