BRIGHTON FRINGE REVIEW: ‘Provocateur’

You step down into the basement of Brighton’s Lantern Theatre and you’re in The Mistress’s dungeon – complete with latex, ropes, a strap-on and whips.

In a black latex dress and corset, Tish Weinman, aka Letitia Delish greets us with a smile that gives you goosebumps: “my time is expensive; what you see before you is expensive. Pleasure always comes with a price.”

And so we are immersed in the world of a dominatrix sex worker. “Say yes mistress,” she insists – and we do. “You’re my thing; my new toy.”

She tells us she’s in the business of creating a fantasy: “the devil is in the detail.” And then a mannequin springs to life – dressed head to foot in tight fitting latex, he is her gimp – her slave; her object. To prove it she make him go on all fours so she can sit on him like a bench.

When you start to think it’s getting heavy, Letitia suddenly comes out of character – she’s not happy; she cant seem to get the act of being a mistress quite right. It’s the start of a lot of comedy in this stunning piece of theatre,

We flash back to Tish’s drama school days in Bognor Regis, where she first decided to use her acting skills as a fetish offering to pay the rent.

The gimp (Alex Chorley) has now become her first punter – trakkie bottoms and anorak – he’s a straight chav with a girlfriend and a desire to be humiliated.

This becomes a comedy goldmine as they both realise they have no idea what they’re doing or how to approach the situation.

“Most people don’t think about sex workers; they settle for being sex volunteers,” Trish pithily points out.

It’s a fascinating piece, diving deep into what it means to be in control; the power and the edgy danger for both parties. But it’s also the start of a possible journey transitioning to be a woman for the mistress.

And the other side of the coin of control is submission – so can that be fun too?

Letitia and Alex hold our attention as the best control freaks would. They’re sexy, dangerous and addictive.

But who really holds the whip hand?

Go see at The Lantern Theatre on 16 May. You’ll beat yourself up if you don’t. Tickets HERE