Everything I See I Swallow @ Summerhall

Everything I See I Swallow uses aerial rope skills to explore the debate within feminism in the twenty-first century

Review by Rachel Baker | 08 Aug 2019
  • Everything I See I Swallow @ Summerhall

As you enter the theatre for Everything I See I Swallow one of the actors is dressed in a severe, hot pink suit, the other tied up in a web of red robe, suspended from a gymnastics hoop. The commentary on female body image is immediate, and so this satire of feminism in the twenty-first century has begun before the audience have even sat down. Through a non-linear narrative of a mother and daughter at odds, interspersed with scenes of skilled and breathtaking aerial rope work, Everything I See I Swallow delves into the tensions between past and present feminisms through this fascinating inter-disciplinary approach. 

The choice of rope over all other aerial skills is clever, as it's the most nerve-wracking to watch. The two perform argumentative mother-daughter scenes as they dangle from one arm in impressive manouevres and holds. These arresting sequences steal the show, evoking the strenuous (yet dependant and neccessary) relationship between pre- and post-millennium feminists. 

The dialogue sequences often lack the same clarity. The mother spins off feminist jargon that's at times feels poignant and at others just confusing, detracting from the central relationship. The script verges on cliche at times, to the detriment of the political movements represented by each character.

Nonetheless the strength of the two performers in both their acting and aerialist skills prevails. This is an exciting new approach to the feminist argument, allowing you to marvel over the strength of women from all waves of feminism, both figuratively and literally, as they hang upside-down by a thread. 


Everything I See I SwallowSummerhall (Demonstration Room), until 25 Aug (not 12, 20), 6pm, £11-13