FringeReview UK 2025

UnTethered

Tana Sirois

Genre: LGBTQ+, Neurodiverse, One Person Show, Theatre

Venue: The Camden People's Theatre

Festival: FringeReview UK

Low Down

Review

Following performances in Istanbul and New York, UnTethered premiered in London for one night only, at the Camden People’s Theatre. A one-woman play, with a protagonist who’s looking for love but struggles with dating apps. As a demisexual, she needs to meet people to find real connections and spark attraction. Hence, she invited a whole audience to attend her show!

Before the play starts, you’re given a ‘Trauma Bingo’ card and a sheet to write your fears with resulting traumas, which are used later in the show. After an entertaining entrance and warm opening, the content switches to a darker tone. The play slowly turns from a huge dating convention into a representation of what it’s like to live with OCD, constantly snapping from fun-filled games to triggers and repetitive cycles.

The play uses puppetry and physical theatre to represent this disorder. The puppet for the illness was striking. It was crafted well and didn’t follow the stereotypical design which monsters often do, with red eyes or teeth, etc. The monster was built on references to the show, which led to a unique design. The voice also didn’t sound like a classic, sinister voice; it sounded annoying and squeaky, which made it creepier. Furthermore, the physical theatre cycles of OCD were intense and made me feel trapped with the character. The movements weren’t perfected or over-rehearsed; the focus was on the emotion, which allowed sequences to sit with the audience. Beyond this, there was also a silhouetted physical theatre performer and, despite her arguably comic appearance, their movements were strong, concise, and flowed nicely—making them something to be taken seriously. As a fan of both physical theatre and puppetry, I appreciate when these two elements are used effectively.

There is also a good amount of audience participation: from cycle placards to dating workshops, the audience does get involved! It was fun, and it didn’t feel too forced either: if the audience said ‘no’, their decision was respected.

This is a vulnerable play from the author/actor and a brave play to perform, as it is so personal. This is Daring Work; and with continued development, particularly in refining the transitions between serious and comedic moments, it has the potential to become Outstanding. The comedy was engaging, and although the shifts in tone occasionally felt abrupt, they created a layered emotional experience. Clarifying these shifts further could deepen the audience’s understanding and strengthen the impact. That said, this is a minor point for refinement, as the rest was incredibly engaging.

As a play that aimed to raise awareness of OCD, against the common trivialisation of OCD in today’s media, this play achieved its goal—working in association with OCD UK and leaving leaflets outside afterwards. I am seeing more plays raising awareness of the grittier side of OCD, contradictory to the throwaway phrases used online and in today’s media. With plays like this, stigmas can be reduced, and more opinions can be changed about OCD.

This play challenges the conventional media stigmatisation of OCD in today’s media and shows the guttural truth.

Published March 30, 2025 by Ben Aarons