Boy Parts at Soho Theatre

Irina takes erotic photos of average looking men. Always behind the lens, she watches, she moulds, and she stalks. These boys are putty in her hands, just the way she likes it.

When the opportunity to show her photographs in a fashionable London gallery – “darling, you just don’t get chances like this in the North” – coincides with a new boy to obsess over, cracks begin to appear. How far can she push her new prey for the perfect shot, or has she already gone too far?

Based on the critically acclaimed debut novel by Eliza Clark (Finalist in Women’s Prize for Fiction) and adapted by Gillian Greer (Meat, Theatre503; Petals, Theatre Upstairs), Boy Parts is a pitch-black psychological thriller that subverts the erotic gaze and asks what happens when our need for connection gets twisted.

Boy Parts, an adaptation of the book of the same name, mixes an intense solo performance with fantastic staging to produce a show that pushes the boundaries in this darkly comic drama.

The show opens as though it were a film using A.V. opening credits, which fits perfectly into the characters’ love of film and photography but also lets the audience understand that not everything said by our narrator here is genuine or and could just be part of their own narrative.

Aimee Kellie’s characterisation is strong in this one-woman show, each character she performs feels real and fleshed out but at the same time, you are aware you are seeing these people through Irena’s unreliable lens.

This is a show that is not only noteworthy for its solo solid performance but also for its excellent use of technology.  The A.V., sound and lighting all really elevate this performance to enhance the story.

The show is really well paced and the tension builds throughout slowly as it heads towards the conclusion the audience all fear it will.  It allows the audience to question the story being put forth to them by this sadistic and dark lead character.

Boy Parts is a fantastic theatrical adaptation of this psychological thriller.  It is on at Soho Theatre until the 25th of November, tickets start from £23 and can be booked from the Soho Theatre website.

The ticket was gifted in exchange for a review, all words and opinions are my own