REVIEW: You Are the Kitten, who died and called you king?, EdFringe 2024 ★★★★☆

The worlds of Claire and Elisabeth collide as they navigate the weird and terrifying one fateful New Year’s Eve in Sydney as they wait for the fireworks to strike midnight. You Are the Kitten by Nicole Plüss is a deep dive into uncomfortable relationships and feeling at a cliff edge of transition between teenage years and adulthood.

Claire (Chrissy Miller) is a girl-next-door type. Quiet in comparison to her counterpart, reserved and careful Claire has found herself here by accident, running away from a frustrated mother to try and chase after what she believes to be her great romance but unravels into something else entirely. Narrating the night, Claire feels like our protagonist getting whipped into trouble by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Elisabeth (Britt Ferry) was threatening to become a manic pixie dream girl through her philosophical monologuing and reckless behaviour, but this felt redeemed in later moments as more of her backstory is revealed to us. A less fortunate upbringing and falling into the wrong crowd has dragged her into a cycle of abuse, and leads both characters into further chaos. At certain points her character did feel a little far from our reach, and I think it would have been nice to have her humanised outside of monologues and breaking point moments with a few more hints at childhood and familial relationships like we have from Claire. The monologues were insightful and well written, but didn’t reveal much past her growing up beyond her years, and I think I just wanted her to feel less mysterious.

Both actors handled an intense and dynamic script with ease. From the second they entered the room my attention was held and the pace never once faltered. I sometimes feel as if transitions between comedy and drama can feel disjointed but Miller and Ferry move through them fluidly. Later in the script they switch from Claire and Elisabeth to the quirky cast of side characters with physical and vocal ease. The multi-rolling in this show is no joke. It is clear that the actors are masters of their craft, and director Ellen Wiltswhire pulled this to the forefront, as they weave through the script. 

There are some really stand out moments for me including a gorgeous scene wrapped in tinfoil blankets that provide a safety for our characters to open up as they are in the hazed state of a come down. The blankets also provide incredible on stage foley when they crinkle and rustle like the waves the characters are travelling on. Another is the confrontation in a basement full of cats, where the actors slip between four characters at a comedic and narrative peak. 

As conversations in the script continue the show navigates the topics of abuse of power and relationship assault. This is slow building and peppered through, meaning the audience comes to the realisation of what has happened as the character does, which I appreciated much more than a long and revealing monologue. It felt natural and emotional for the characters and the audience. This then lines up the climax and conclusion where it feels wrapped up perfectly, with the fireworks at midnight to seal the end and the start of something, but not without a few small questions lingering as the lights go down. 

The transitions of the piece means that one section flows seamlessly into the next and you can still feel the passage of time, whether its a basement to a dance floor, or a boat to a cliffs edge I have to applaud Wiltswhire who made this effortless and understandable in a place where many directors falter. 

You Are the Kitten feels like the script to a coming-of-age movie, with its one night time frame, aggressive partying and heavy existentialism it feels fitting to something like Booksmart. This wouldn’t go amiss translated for screen, but also stands very well as a theatre piece for fringe stages. As is the case with many Fringe scripts it does feel as if its missing sections I would have liked to see for further context, such as a moment of Claire alone before she meets Elisabeth, or the very moment they meet as a full scene.

An added scene between the dog and the kitten would also have been a nice transitional piece, as it felt rushed into framing what became very clever parallels between the girls and the animals in the script. With an hour-long restriction the story is well contained but left me wanting more. 

You Are the Kitten is fast-paced, expertly performed theatre. If you’re looking for a morning show by a power house all female team, this is one to add to the schedule.

Recommended Drink: It would be best enjoyed with cheap Aussie boxed wine that will lead you to chaos if you’re left unsupervised.

You can see You Are the Kitten at Greenside George Street from 9th-24th (not 11th, 12th, 18th or 19th) at 10.30am. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Box Office.