National Theatre Live: Fleabag

source: National Theatre Live: Fleabag

Amazon's short series of filmed versions of West End shows continues with a recording of "Fleabag" Phoebe Waller-Bridge's one woman show that she subsequently adapted into a two season BBC sitcom that I thought couldn't possibly live up to the hype, but was actually phenomenal stuff. Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) recounts to the audience about various aspects of her professional, personal and sex life, following the death of her business partner and friend. Whilst Waller-Bridge is a wonderful actress and carries this (mostly) one woman show through to it's completion (there are some voice overs that she interacts with at times) watching the show after seeing the series feels a touch underwhelming. I mean, this is natural though, it's a 90-minute piece, with no sets, props or other actors, relative to a fully realised six hours or so of Television. The series length gives her much more time to expand on some of the themes that are present here. You can see the genesis though and why the stage show was so highly regarded. Waller-Bridge is unbelievably good with the daring, filthy and ultimately vulnerable central role. It's a much more rounded story than a collection of the examples of its most vulgar moments would have you believe, as Fleabag tries to cope with the guilt and loss that is eating her alive. If you're a fan of the show, it's a fascinating insight into the process of adapting something. If you're not, it's a stellar performance.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge's 'Fleabag' fascinated me from the get go. The story sounded great and easy to relate to, and it followed on from its original conception of a stand-up storytelling routine and then from the very positively reviewed television series (the story here based upon the first episode). Have also seen many instances of brilliant one-person shows, including various productions of Poulenc's/Cocteau's 'La Voix Humaine' and even a one-man performance of 'A Christmas Carol'. This production of 'Fleabag', transmitted in 2019 as part of the interesting and always worthwhile National Theatre Live series did not disappoint. Actually saw 'Fleabag' when it was shown in cinemas but it has taken me a long time to get round to reviewing it, being behind on my reviewing and my personal life being difficult. Anybody who has heard of the production and the television series but yet to see either and want to see what the fuss is about should absolutely give both a try. Visually, 'Fleabag' is very minimalist. For me though that added to the intimacy that a one-person show (well one-woman show here) and any monologue should have, if the production tried to do too much visually it would have distracted from the drama and atmosphere. Yet the simple look works very well indeed and good use is made of the space. Cannot praise the writing enough. The adult humour is both hilarious and sly, as well as remarkably tasteful considering what some of it is referencing or poking fun at. It is not just non-stop hilarity, there is a more sorrowful tone in places that gives the production a lot of depth, these moments representing guilt and feeling alone. All intelligently done and tightly structured. The story is always enthralling, immediately grabbing the attention from the start and never losing it and the tonal shifts are seamless, amazing considering that the emotions are constantly shifting but there is nothing choppy here. 'Fleabag's' range of emotions is very wide and handled with ease. There is a pulling no punches approach to the storytelling, for example in the agreed chilling ending, but the production doesn't go heavy-handedly on that while not glossing over. The title character is always interesting and the production does a great job in allowing one to root for her. Waller-Bridge's superb performance has a lot to thank for that. Not since Ingrid Bergman in 1966's 'The Human Voice' has a one-woman show performance riveted and moved (amused too in Waller-Bridge's case) me this much, as far as film etc viewings in the past five years or so go that is. Overall, brilliant and one of my biggest must see recommendations in some time. 10/10

You have to commend Phoebe-Waller Bridge. This is a totally original concept and she is very brave to come out with something so vulnerable and also to do it entirely on her own in a one-woman show. I totally understand how there is a subsection of young females who will find it very comforting that Fleabag shares their challenges in love and loss and coming of age as a woman in the modern world. I did cringe sometimes though as I think she toes the line between being woke and simply being crass very finely and sometimes crosses it. It might appear woke for a woman to be talking about sex and bodily functions etc in such an open way but sometimes it felt like it was just being crude for the sake of it, for the shock factor, and i'm not sure how much it does for moving forward the narrative. It's like lame shows about guys jacking off and farting and doing disgusting things is refreshing to men because it makes us feel more normal and less alone. There is a place for that. But such shows wouldn't be being held up as being woke and important like fleabag often has been.

At the very least, the Fathom Events NT Live release of Fleabag will be enjoyed by die-hard fans of the show worldwide. In an absolutely packed theater last week, I was able to witness the brilliance of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's performance and writing for Fleabag in her one-woman show she performed for the last time a few months ago. There's perhaps nothing more thrilling than seeing someone completely within their wheelhouse excelling at something they love. Waller-Bridge may never have as good of a role as she does with Fleabag, and witnessing it on the big screen with a theater full of fans was an incredible way to experience the performance for the last time (assuming it really is the last time....season 3?). 9.0/10

This film start with a woman "Fleabag" performing at a live show, and she ask by the show conductor to leave scene! As turnout, this film is about a live show of Fleabag talking about the people surrounding her life! No interaction scene with the audience, and no special effect on the stage, make the film unwatchable! All the laughable scene quite depend on the crude humor, also make the film quite disgusting to watch! At the end, the show conductor suggest to interview Fleabag again! Fleabag cursing at the very end! That's it! Another disappointed film!

Searching online for a ticket to a screening of National Theatre Live: All About Eve (2019-also reviewed) I looked on the official NT site. Whilst going down the list of screenings,I saw a coming soon ad for Fleabag. With me and a friend both being fans of the TV series,I got two tickets (and at £20 each,most expensive cinema tickets I've ever gotten!) for her birthday,which we celebrated by seeing the beginnings of Fleabag. View on the film: Initiating the events which would lead to the TV series after she challenged her friend to write a sketch for a 10-minute section in a stand-up storytelling night, director Vicky Jones enhances the details giving in the production with a excellent, subtle use of sound,ringing in from the sound of bells ringing from a door opening and chatter in a pub, to the moans off videos on XXX sites,and the chilling noise of a distressed animal, all bringing out a fuller dimension to Fleabag's words. Dressed starkly minimal on a empty set with one chair and the odd flashing light above to represent a Tube/taxi ride home, Jones uses the cameras offered in NT Live to bring a outstanding cinematic element to the production, switching camera angles from left to right when Fleabag re-enacts conversations she has had, and holding close-ups for the moment Fleabag drops her guard. The lone figure to be on stage for the entire time, Phoebe Waller-Bridge gives an incredibly expressive, subtle performance as Fleabag. Working without the option of talking to camera in the middle of scenes as in the TV series, Waller-Bridge draws up everyone else in Fleabag's life with funny changes in vocal tone and facial expressions. Stringing along a stream of consciousness made up of brilliant recollections to short-term sexual relationships and disastrous conversations, Waller-Bridge delicately tears Fleabag's shield of jokes to the raw pain laying underneath from the death of her best friend Boo,leading to a utterly chilling revelation over when Fleabag snapped. Making it clear to see why this got picked to become a series, the screenplay by Waller-Bridge bases the jokes on being incredibly descriptive, hitting the hilarious punch-lines on each detail of the friends,lovers,and family she picks open,in the early life of Fleabag.

This was my first, indeed only, exposure to a phenomenon I had been reading about for months, and, I should stress, virtually all positive reportage so to say I was disappointed is like saying Napoleon was disappointed when he failed in his Russian campaign. I felt not unlike a passionate admirer of Rapunzle stand beneath her window and prevailing upon her to let down her hair only to find that even at full stretch it was still twenty feet beyond my grasp.

National Theatre Live: Fleabag