Spin – Hope Theatre, Islington

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

Writer: Kate Sumpter

Director: Sarah-Jane Schostack

“Wheelie Well Written”

4 / 5

The bass is pumping, the room is in darkness other than the brightly lit lights surrounding the mirrors. A spin instructor enthusiastically begins her class with motivational words of encouragement and inspiration. She loves her job – helping people to be the best versions of themselves and transform their lives. It’s a great industry to be part of, isn’t it?

Writer and performer Kate Sumpter is trying to create the perfect spin class – tweaking her approach for each gym-goer she’s analysed, the poser who’s just there to show off her new gym gear, the ripped guy who can’t wait for his chance to do the big reveal and show off his abs and the sad cardio girl (definitely me) who hates every second and is counting down the minutes until it’s all over. Sumpter’s hilarious observations about fitness culture are relatable and entertaining even if you aren’t necessarily a gym bunny yourself. She energetically and confidently performs her monologue on top of the spin bike – never once breaking a sweat (the envy is real). Initially she briefly touches on aspects of her life – her relationship with her sister and how she first became attracted to Spin classes, but overall allows the humour to remain at the forefront of the storyline.

As the show progresses, her stream of thoughts become darker as she starts coming to terms with realisations about health and wellness culture. Ingrained fatphobia and lifelong cycles of the ‘perfect body’ being promoted through the media start to seep into her consciousness, realising that the ‘healthy living’ message she peddles maybe isn’t all that healthy after all. This subtle but swift shift of gears from light-hearted and comedic to dark and intense is brilliantly executed – assisted with atmospheric lighting from Robbie Butler to manipulate the atmosphere in the room. Sumpter is phenomenal as her character lets down her walls and allows her vulnerability to be exposed, her reflections on society and the pressure to be a certain way heartfelt and engaging.

This is a wheelie well-written show by a fantastic writer and performer. Although her character may be a bit of a cyclepath, the messages in the narrative are strong, forcing the audience to confront their own thoughts and internal biases about exercise, judgement and body positivity long after they leave the theatre.
 
This preview performance runs Until 24 July then heads on to Edinburgh Fringe until 27 August 2023