Peak, Crickhowell, and Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
Sat 3 Feb and Thurs 8 Mar
Anyone who thinks a superhero can’t go about the daily business of grappling with female empowerment, grief and coping mechanisms in a pair of high heels and a sparkly, coordinated costume has clearly never seen Betty Bruiser in action.
Movement specialist, live performer, and all-round society-dissecting powerhouse, Liz Clarke’s superhero alter-ego Betty has finally got her own show, Cannonballista. Betty, unlike most super-human characters, doesn’t leave us feeling suitably inadequate after being witnessing her presence. Instead, she’s riddled with her own issues and flaws, acting as a reminder that ordinary people do extraordinary things, and that extraordinary people do ordinary things.
Cannonballista deals with the ways in which we choose to deal with the world around us, hacking into our psychological systems, showing us that everyone has the potential to be their own saviour. Prior to the shows, Clarke invites eight or so ordinary women, some with lived experience of mental health issues, to engage in workshops with Clarke, unleashing their creativity through their bodies. These women are invited to perform in the live show. We’ve been suitably warned that this solo show will be nothing short of a cannonball of glitter, self-awareness and entertainment.
Admission: £15/£13 (conc.). Info: 0187 3811579 & 0292 0646900 (MT)