Spin
by Kate Sumpter
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose
August 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐
SPIN is a play performed on a spin bike. Yes, really! The actor actually does spend much of her time pedalling. The staging is brilliant with the bike front and centre backed by a massive, glossy 'SPIN' sign and lighting reminiscent of any high tech gym studio.
As the audience enters, the whole set up is intriguing. The lighting by Robbie Butler is striking and perfectly managed. The high-energy workout music is thumping, and right from the start, writer / performer Kate Sumpter gets the audiences motivated and ready for the ride.
Ostensibly a light-hearted show about fitness, SPIN soon takes a few unexpected twists and turns. It's dark and clever, funny yet sad. SPIN is ultimately a journey of self discovery for the lead character, but it also forces the audience to think about their own preconceptions of body image and 'health'.
Sumpter is magnificent in the role of the enthusiastic Spin Class instructor who faces a few bumps in the road. Although some of what the character says and believes can sound a little harsh, it's well balanced with examples of the harm such language can cause. Sharp humour runs through the play, and Sumpter's delivery and comic-timing are superb.
SPIN shines a light on society's prejudices and the toxic fitness industry as a whole. But it also highlights the impact that our words and actions can have on those around us. It's a fascinating concept for a play, expertly presented and delivered by a very skilled (and fit!) performer.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kate Sumpter comments, I wrote SPIN to show the ridiculous and insidious sides of the industry, and how impossible it can be to feel happy in an image-obsessed society. I have watched people I love suffer horribly because they have a body that society deems unacceptable or inconvenient. Managing a gym in London I saw how pervasive fatphobia and health bias really are. SPIN aims to pop that bubble with humour, vulnerability and an unflinching examination of ugly truths.
When and Where?
Performance Dates: Wed 2nd – Sun 27th August (not 9th, 21st), 14:20
Relaxed performance: 15th August
Running Time: 60 minutes
Location: Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose (Dram), 3 Chambers Street, EH1 1HT
Tickets: https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/, £13 (£9)
Notes: Ages 14+
Strong language and distressing or potentially triggering themes.
About Spin
Writer/Performer: Kate Sumpter
Director: Sarah Jane Schostack
Set/Costume Designer: Lee Newby
Fitness Director: Joe Ferris
Lighting Designer: Robbie Butler
Sound Designer: Jamie Lu
Spin by Kate Sumpter review, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023
🎟️ Disclosure: I am an Edinburgh Festival Fringe accredited media reviewer and as such I receive complimentary press tickets in exchange for my honest reviews. My reviews and star ratings are always my honest opinions.
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