One woman shows aren't exactly hard to come by at Edinburgh Fringe, and although most of the stars of these shows have great stories to tell, often the audience is never engaged or familiar enough with the performer at the heart of the show for them to feel any real sense of journey or finality. However, it'd be hard to say the same thing about Lucy, Lucy and Lucy Barfield, a heartwarming, tearjerking hour long show is a miraculous whisper of a show, which sheds light on the mysterious Lucy Barfield who C.S Lewis dedicated The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe to. Although 99% of audience members probably never thought about the unknown lucy on the dedications page, her moving life story could stand alone as the topic of a show.
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| Photo credit - Michelle Wormleighton |
What is so engaging about Lucy, Lucy and Lucy Barfield is actress Lucy Grace's charming performance. The audience has a clear sense of how much her personal quest means to her, and as such every bit of information feels like a success for both Lucy Grace and her audience.
The story of Lucy Barfield which the audience is exposed to piece by piece is fascinating in itself, and as more and more of her life story is uncovered, the audience gets drawn further in. For every happy thing in Barfield's life these is a distressing one to go with it, and this rollercoaster of emotions, which clearly affects our protagonist so deeply, is a total tearjerker for the rest of the audience too .
Although Barfield's story is ultimately one of tragedy, her legacy is one of hope and inspiration. The audience is told about the hundreds of letters written to Barfield over the course of her life (many of which she never received) and about the effect which she had on those around her, including a friend which Lucy Grace tracked down and interviewed for the piece, and whose voice is heard in snippets throughout the show, telling anecdotes about Barfield as a young girl, and expanding on Lucy's personality and interests, especially that of ballet.
When the show begins, Lucy Barfield is a mysterious figure from the past, but by the end of the play she is fleshed out entirely. Lucy, Lucy and Lucy Barfield is an ultimately uplifting show, headed by a captivating actress whose passion for her quest is infectious!
