NT Live: Fleabag

★★★★★

'Witty, filthy and supreme.' Guardian

Fleabag is a one-woman show written and performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, based on her 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival hit. It was filmed live on stage in London’s West End. It is also the inspiration for the acclaimed BBC TV series of the same name.

The play follows Fleabag, a young woman who is struggling to cope with the death of her best friend, the breakup of her relationship, the failure of her guinea pig-themed café, and the constant pressure from her family and society. She is witty, sarcastic, sexually adventurous, and emotionally damaged. She often breaks the fourth wall to address the audience directly, revealing her inner thoughts and feelings.

Fleabag takes the audience on a journey through her chaotic life, as she tries to find meaning and connection in a world that seems to reject her. She encounters various characters along the way, such as her uptight sister Claire, her passive-aggressive stepmother, her sleazy ex-boyfriend Harry, her awkward date Arsehole Guy, and her kind but clueless father. She also has flashbacks of her friendship with Boo, who died in a tragic accident that Fleabag feels responsible for.

The play is a dark comedy that explores themes such as grief, loneliness, guilt, feminism, sexuality, and identity. It is also a poignant portrait of a flawed but relatable heroine who is searching for redemption and love. Fleabag is a hilarious, heart-breaking, and honest look at some sort of woman living her sort of life.