Photo credit: James Allan
Review: Iron Fantasy, Soho Theatre asks one simple question: what does it mean to be strong?
There is something inherently delightful about witnessing “extravagant multitasking” on a stage as intimate as the Soho Theatre Upstairs. She Goat, the “franglais” duo comprising Shamira Turner and Eugénie Pastor, perform with a clatter of kitchen utensil armour and instruments in hand in their latest whimsical offering. Those who saw their 2019 hit DoppelDänger will recognise their signature blend of music and surrealist physical theatre, but here they have swapped 17th-century lace for 90s fantasy grit.
The premise is deceptively simple. Two confrontation-avoidant women decide they want to have enough strength to say “no.” Inspired by the campy aesthetics of 90s TV fantasy (think Xena: Warrior Princess meets a village fete), they embark on a quest to build muscle. There are shades of Miles Gloriosus here, the classic “Braggart Warrior,” except instead of ancient Roman bluster, we have two modern women imagining rippling physiques while making the most endearingly feeble attempts to actually acquire them. All of this is done under the distant, demanding care of their never-seen personal trainer, Artur.
The shared world they have built is a triumph of imagination over budget or restraint.One of the highlights is a truly hilarious riff on modern obsessions with nutrition. The duo fixates on their protein intake with manic intensity, detailing the absurd amounts they are consuming in their quest for power. It is a sharp, witty critique of gym culture that feels perfectly at home alongside their training montages. Their exaggerated, fantasy-led costumes are a joy to behold.
This playfulness is underpinned by a huge amount of research. Over the past four years, Turner and Pastor have taken up weightlifting and trained with a fight choreographer. They also led workshops with children, teenagers, and older women to explore how ideas of strength are formed early, how deeply they are gendered, and how they change as bodies age. The descriptions provided by those interviewed are voiced in the initial, recitative opening of the show.
At its strongest, Iron Fantasy plays with the duo’s inner fantasies, spinning them out into excessive, improbable realities. When they lean into the “cartoon” versions of themselves, the show soars. The rapport between Turner and Pastor is tremendous, honed during their collaboration with the Olivier Award-winning Little Bulb Theatre. Their energy in moving between props, complex instruments, and monologues is a feat of stamina in itself.
However, the quest is not all training montages and synth beats. The show anchors itself in the real-world “why,” specifically why women often feel physically or emotionally “less than.” There are some deeply personal, traumatic storylines woven into the narrative that certainly deserve to be told. Yet, at 75 minutes, the piece feels somewhat overextended. It would be a much punchier, more cohesive experience at a tight hour. Because the more sombre tonal shifts arrive toward the end of the runtime, they hit an audience that has perhaps become a little less indulgent after over sixty minutes of high-energy clowning. These moments of striking honesty sit slightly uneasily alongside the comedy, creating a friction that does not always feel comfortable.
A small word of reassurance for the front row: the promotional material includes raw eggs amongst the trigger warnings. As someone who braced for a potential salmonella splatter zone, I found the reality much more controlled and significantly less messy. It was a minor “mis-selling” of the anarchy, though perhaps my dry-cleaning bill is grateful for the restraint.
Ultimately, Iron Fantasy is a sweaty, funny, and unexpectedly tender piece. Turner and Pastor do not pretend to be experts; instead, they invite us into the vulnerability of trying. It is a celebration of “fantasy strength” and the very real resilience required to stand firm in a world that is not always on your side.
[Thank you to Chloe Nelkin Consulting who provided gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.]
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