Sadly, the news has lately been full of stories about women abused and murdered by men, often men in positions of authority. Drawing on the legacy of the 15th-century witch trials, Sophie Swithinbank’s three-hander Sting explores how victims of domestic violence can find themselves recast as perpetrators.
Set in the present day, the play centres on wild-child Ash (Adelle Leonce), a, free-spirited young woman caught between her abusive policeman boyfriend, Dom (Nick Blood), and her employer, Lily (Phoebe Ladenburg), who becomes an increasingly significant presence in her life.
An archivist researching the history of ritualistic witch killings, Lily is assisting police investigating a series of murders of young women. When Ash joins her as a research assistant, the two seem an unlikely pair. Ash, first seen dancing uninhibitedly through a haze of fog, is completely unfiltered and reacts intensely to almost everything; Lily is the stereotypical librarian, all manners and self-containment, though she occasionally erupts into a startling horse-like chortle. Their relationship develops quickly, perhaps a little too quickly, culminating in a wild night out together. Meanwhile, Dom veers unpredictably between tenderness and coercive control, leaving visible bruises on Ash’s body.
The atmosphere of menace is infused throughout, and the occasional shifts into dance or stylised movement work well, offering another lens through which to view the characters’ shifting power dynamics. Our sympathies shift as the story unfolds and control of the narrative seems constantly up for grabs, although the evidence of Dom’s violence remains unmistakable.
The play also flirts with the supernatural. Characters mishear one another, language slips and doubles back on itself, lights flicker unexpectedly, and Ash appears capable of summoning bees and casting curses. At times, however, there is simply too much going on. The play packs an abundance of ideas and plot strands into ninety minutes, leaving limited room for subtext. Despite director Nancy Medina’s energetic staging, the script sometimes rushes through its many elements — from a pet rabbit and a planned trip to Morocco to corrupt police officers and news of ritualistic murders.
Visually, the production is often striking. When a fire breaks out in the archive, designer Debbie Duru and lighting designer Ryan Day create one of the evening’s most memorable moments, made all the more convincing by the sweltering heat of a London night. Yet the Young Vic’s large second-space stage, lined with towering metal shelves and archive boxes, occasionally feels too expansive for a cast of only three.
Even with its flaws, Sting is an ambitious and timely piece that tackles questions of power, misogyny and belief with urgency. While the play sometimes struggles to balance its many themes, it succeeds in creating an unsettling portrait of how easily truth can be distorted when women’s voices are doubted or ignored.
Writer: Sophie Swithinback
Director: Nancy Medina
Cast: Nick Blood, Phoebe Ladenburg, Adelle Leonce
Designer: Debbie Duru
Lighting designer: Ryan Day
Until: 18 July
Running time: 90 minutes, without interval
Photo Credit: Helen Murray