If you enjoyed watching “Barbie: The Movie” and especially the glorious monologue by America Ferrera, this play may be a natural good choice to see. This emotional yet entertaining production delivers a poignant examination of the evolution of women’s rights in Italy over the past few decades. This gripping two-act play written by an Oscar-nominated Italian playwright Cristina Comencini, offers a personal lens into the continuing struggles across generations to break free from deeply entrenched gender roles and expectations. And to me, it delivered one of the most moving, women-centred theatre experiences of 2024.
Intimate Setting with Familiarity
When entering the intimate auditorium at Jermyn Street Theatre, I was immediately struck by the humble domestic set design, adorned with retro family photos that evoked a stark sense of familiarity. By the way, this adorable little venue is the only performing space in London where entrance to the toilet leads through the stage! But ok, let’s focus on the show itself.
Slow Progress Across Generations
“Two Rounds” chronicles the lives of two generations of Italian women, mirroring their conversations across the decades to showcase the glacial pace of progress. It’s a show that to non-Italians like myself, delivers a shocking revelation about how slowly rights of women have developed in Italy. Reading the programme, I had to pinch myself, as I learned that divorce was only legalised from 1970 and the legal independence of a wife from a husband, from 1975.
Contrasting Struggles Across Time
The first act introduces us to a group of 1960s housewives whose lives revolve around cooking, cleaning and tending to her husband’s needs. Their daughters then mirrors their mothers’ conversations in the second act, set in present day. We witness the daughters enjoying much more freedom, yet still facing difficulties in shaking off the shackles of gender traditions.
Outstanding Performances
The entire ensemble cast, comprising solely of talented actresses : Natalie Cutler, Daria Mazzocchio, Flora Sowerby and Saria Steyl delivered outstanding performances. However Mazzocchio’s performance moved me the most with her delicate handling of the intense emotional complexities of her both characters through the show.
The high point of the show for me was the climactic reading of the letter written by Beatrice’s lover after their first meeting, brimming with hope for an equitable future, which stood in stark contrast to his subsequent actions over the course of their married life. As the lights dimmed with the reading of the letter, I was left with an acute ache in my heart.
I can’t deny the play’s emotional impact – but it’s not a perfect experience yet. While certain heavy-handed moments could have benefitted from more nuance, the dual-timeline approach was clever and effective. The repetition of dialogues and patterns across generations clearly conveyed the core message. I just wished some more points were left to audience’s imagination and not fully explained.
Overall, “Two Rounds” offers a personal lens into the continuing struggles across generations to break free from deeply entrenched gender roles and expectations. I would highly recommend witnessing this charming yet hard-hitting play that is quintessentially Italian in its intimate familial setting. So come immerse yourself in the lives of these women who valiantly cope with seismic societal shifts that the men stubbornly refuse to acknowledge.
I received the ticket to see the show in exchange for an honest review.
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