★★★★☆
In Showgirls and Spies, an impressive Young Pleasance cast tell the true story of Florence Waren, a Jewish resistance fighter and famous Parisian dancer, in a story that moves between 1940 and 2023 with consummate ease.
There remains a personal quality to Showgirls and Spies that is difficult to achieve given just an hour to tackle a topic as large as this. Telling the story of Florence Waren, as a life alone, is a fairly monumental task, it turns out. Showgirls and Spies succeeds, not only in this, but by giving voices to her contemporaries and creating a glimpse at the glamour of pre-war Paris.
It was written by Rebecca Wilson, a relative of Florence, which surely contributes to the personal touch. Indeed, a group of squabbling distant relatives rummaging through a mysterious suitcase once belonging to Florence (née Sadie) is the lens through which the story is told, and it proves far more captivating than a simple biography would be.
The modern teenagers – and they are written to be overtly that – are just one of the worlds created in Showgirls and Spies. The stage moves seamlessly between Parisian clubs, resistance safehouses, and Florence journeying between London and Paris. Using only a doorframe and two small staircases on wheels, the cast double up as crew to create the various spaces needed for Showgirls and Spies.
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The cast is led by Scarlett Field-Green in the title role, the Florence character doubling up as both a showgirl and spy. At times, the characters can almost become caricatures of the roles they’re playing, but even this lends an element of humour to a show tackling a topic so weighty.
One of the most interesting scenes comes towards the end, where the grandchildren discuss the actual virtue of Florence. There is no nuance to the Nazis and the resistance. It is clear black and white, good and bad. However, in a show that has been forced to move at such a hurtling pace, it offers a moment of reflection. So, too, does the brief discussion of contemporary anti-semitism.
The contradiction of war with nightclubs and Nazi uniforms with ball gowns is partly what makes this such a compelling story. That is true makes it even more remarkable, and for a young cast to handle it with such delicacy and humour makes it better still.
Showgirls and Spies was on at Pleasance Dome until 13 August. You can view our comprehensive guide to the entire Fringe here.
