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Iron Maidens: Iron Fantasy at Soho Theatre

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Two women chase the elusive six-pack in Iron Fantasy, only to embark on an unexpected journey exploring what it truly means to be strong in today’s world. In a culture that demands visible strength and power, they subject themselves to lifting, protein powder-guzzling, and raw-egg drinking. Interestingly, consuming raw eggs elicited many squeamish reactions from members of the audience. None has obviously been to Cabaret to see Sally Bowles guzzle prairie oysters. But in the search for the attributes that make someone strong, a little more is revealed about being a young woman in the modern world. And that strength comes from a number of ways. It’s currently playing at the Soho Theatre .  It’s part performance, part musical, and part interviews, as writer-performers Shamira Turner and Eugénie Pastor, who make up the theatre performance duo She Goat, don a variety of silly costumes and play a range of musical instruments on their journey researching strength, fighting, and pumping i...

Citizens of nowhere: A Lesson From Aloes @Finborough


Relationships and friendships can be fragile. Like democracy and freedom. In a world falling apart to paranoia and suspicion, the only thing that grows in this barren land are little pots of aloe. In A Lesson From Aloes at the Finborough, it's 1960s South Africa. In a dreary Port Elizabeth suburb, Piet (David Minnaar) and Gladys (Janine Ulfane) are waiting for Steve and his family to visit. But the guests are late and for good reason.

There’s suspicion that Piet turned informer which saw Steve imprisoned and interrogated. Shunned by their old friends, and under observation by the police, their world has collapsed. All that is left for Piet are his precious little plants of Aloe growing in their pots. And for Gladys what is lost is more than political discussion.

By the time Steve (David Rubin) shows up there's a power keg ready to blow up. He's leaving South Africa after being granted an exit permit. A one-way ticket out of the country which strips him and his family of South African citizenship. He's heading for Britain and trying to pack of the pieces of his life up.

It‘s a sharp and incisive play that often feels like it's a mystery or thriller. It's helped by a great cast and fast-paced direction and claustrophobic design.


Playwright Athol Fugard wrote the piece over forty years ago about the crackdowns and harassment of those who either resisted the apartheid regime or wanted to leave it. It's receiving its first London premiere in over 35 ears.

This passing of time gives space to think more about how the themes about home, identity and belonging still seem relevant today.

Directed by Janet Suzman, A Lesson From Aloes is at the Finborough Theatre until 23 March.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Photos by Alixandra Fazzina

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