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THEATRE / Beg - BAC, London SW11

Lyn Gardner
Thursday 03 December 1992 00:02 GMT
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Part sinister fairy-tale and part shaggy-dog story, Peta Lily's brilliant tour de force probes the dark recesses of the mind where sexual fantasies take root, fed on a rich diet of popular culture. We are in Angela Carter's Bloody Chamber, but there's also more than a touch of The Real Inspector Hound, as Dr Penelope Second (Lily), the surgical gynaecologist who has invented a unique form of stitching, is investigated by the lunatic detective Stiltskin for the macabre murder of her former lover, Dr John Lord. Aided and abetted by Philip Pellew, who gamely plays all the other roles from a dog to a corpse, Lily builds a compelling portrait of a multi-faceted woman whose cool exterior hides a throbbing subconscious where father fixations become entwined with childhood memories of Little Red Riding Hood. David Glass's good-looking production - half dream, half nightmare - makes inventive use of a musical soundtrack which is pure movie magic and builds to a shuddering and shocking climax.

To Sunday (071-223 2223).

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