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‘Gigi & Dar’ – The price of friendship in times of conflict and how humanity can slip quickly…

‘Gigi & Dar’ – The price of friendship in times of conflict and how humanity can slip quickly…

Play starts with much humour and banter and shows how darkness from all sides can brutalise…

ABOUT female friendship, secrets and betrayal, ‘Gigi & Dar’ is a timely reminder that young women are also on the front line and can be very different with each other, more so in some social situations.

These two characters Gigi (Tanvi Virmani) and Dar (Lola Shalam) are two soldiers manning checkpoint 432 and tell us – as an imaginary audience – “that nothing ever happens” – do we believe them? Of course not…

Dar (Lola Shalam) and Gigi (Tanvi Virmani) ©AliWright

In the beginning, there is what seems like idle chitchat between two friends – Dar has a long-term boyfriend and is from a working class background and says she will go back to waiting on tables when her conscription time comes to an end, so she can save up money and then travel the world…they are just days away from their long leave.

Gigi is from a wealthy, well connected family – with her Dad part of the ruling administration.

This is not country specific and deliberately so – we could be anywhere you want it to be – where there is a conflict, checking and checkpoints and conscription – throwing people together whose paths would not normally cross.

Gigi on the other hand has had a more sheltered existence, hasn’t much experience of the opposite sex and doesn’t have any bisexual leanings – even if Dar is very casual about her own sexual experience with women.

The chat is frank and explicit and realistic and what you would expect two close women friends – to share their intimate experiences. If they can’t, who is that they can they trust with personal information?

Sim (Roman Asde) ©AliWright

With such frankness and – especially on Dar’s part there is much witty, bawdy humour – you know something sooner than rather later is about to break their general monotony, well punctuated by their general bonhomie and friendly joshing. They tell their commander all is well and then the atmosphere shifts.

First, there is a mobile phone call and Dar learns that her boyfriend has been out and has befriended both Gigi and another mutual friend the previous evening. We all know the secret that Gigi is harbouring but we don’t know quite how Dar will react.

Just as this information is impacting them in different ways, an expectant mother (Zoz – Chipo Chung) and her son (Sim – Roman Asde) approach in a car.

Gigi seems unbothered and takes them at face value – the boy loves cars and discovers that Gigi’s brother has good connections to the car industry. At this point, we can sense something is going to blow up – but it isn’t what you think…

Dar is angry and sad about her boyfriend’s behaviour and worries about his fidelity but comforts herself in the knowledge (secondhand) that it was not a full on encounter.

Gigi then takes a more aggressive and confrontational approach – believing the mother and son to be lying about their true purposes and in a scene of extreme tension, brilliantly staged, the atmosphere has completely turned into one of danger and fury.

Mother-Zoz: Chipo Chung ©AliWright

From this moment on, the soldier pair lose their sense of equilibrium and control and it is a downward spiral that has lasting consequences for all.

Written by Josh Azouz and directed by award-winning actor and director Kathryn Hunter, ‘Gigi & Dar’ is deep, timely, disturbing and effective, asking questions of all of us about the nature of truth, friendship, innocence lost.

The particular scene which changes everything is not one you are not likely to forget and Asde is particularly good in what is his professional debut – all Sim’s youthful, exuberant innocence is extinguished and he is brutally exposed by Dar, who revels in her power.

Imaginatively but simply designed and well produced with strong performances, it is a play that stays with you…
Acv rating: **** (out of five)

Top picture: Dar (Lola Shalam) and Gigi (Tanvi Virmani) ©AliWright

Listing

Gigi & Dar by Josh Azouz is (from October 3) to November 2, at Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin Street, London E8 3DL
https://www.arcolatheatre.com/whats-on/gigi-dar/

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Written by Asian Culture Vulture