★★★★
Managed Approach begins with the news reels. Leeds, 2014, Holbeck—a new red light district being trialled in the UK for the first time. Sex work is legal on the streets between 8pm and 6am—police protection, increased safety and sex work in a new light. It is called the Managed Approach, and the show of the same name, directed by Lily Ellis, combines real interviews from sex workers and residents in the area at the time. The performance is striking and raw, it is a clever interwoven blend of a fictional narrative and verbatim interviews and is captivating throughout.
Performed at Gilded Balloon Patter House by Open Aire Theatre, the space creates an intimate feel. As the atmosphere in Holbeck—one of the most deprived areas of Leeds—rachets up, so does the tension in the room. Abbie (Jules Coyle) is getting ready for a night out and her mother (Eanna Ferguson) maintains that she should be wearing tights; it’s the age-old mother-daughter dynamic many women will recognise. But in Holbeck, it has a little more edge. Immediately, the audience are empathising with the plights of both generations of women.
Peppered in between the scenes are interviews from different female sex workers spoken to at the time of the Managed Approach. The simplicity of a single microphone with the performers speaking into it brings a raw vulnerability to the performance. Here there is nothing extra, just the words that sit with the audience. H Sneyd and Tel Chiuri do a remarkable job lending the right amount of gravity yet a casual nature to this setup. The stage primarily consists of Abbie’s bedroom, and the duality of a bed onstage is a stark reminder of the nature of the show.
Throughout the production the script is nuanced through its quick humour and more touching, heartfelt moments. In the context of the Managed Approach scheme, history is brought to the fore through reminders of the Yorkshire Ripper and the grip that he had on Holbeck and the surrounding area at the time. It creates a harrowing background to the controversy around the Managed Approach as ideas of class, wealth and education are subtly introduced into the dialogue too. Effective lighting helps to control the mood of the scenes and snippets of information are projected onto the back of the set. The multimedia approach to the performance helps to cement the topic in reality, and remind the audience that these are real events.
Managed Approach is a powerful, impressive show. An essential watch, the dialogue keeps the topic of sex work current and wards off the taboo that has become associated with it. Thoughtful acting and careful juxtaposition of scenes throughout cement the performance as smart but tender. It is an unforgettable telling of an important part of recent UK policy that deserves a watch by everyone.
Managed Approach will be performed at the Gilded Balloon Patter House until 24 August as part of Edinburgh Fringe.
Words by Hannah Goldswain
Support The Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.