Electro Girl

Electro Girl is an electrifying, colorful and funny tale of one woman’s journey and personal struggle with epilepsy. Lainie Chait is a forty something Jewish woman, the writer and sole performer, directed by Clare Pickering.

Chait pops out from behind the curtains in a sparkly purple super hero outfit. She announces her commitment to explore the contradictory nature of epilepsy. A very personal and a self-discovery-caper-adventure of a proclaimed rebel, along with her greatest mentor and teacher- her brain - the sharp and witty Nora the Scottish electro-hand puppet.

A chronological account of her life in a Jewish bubble world begins in the eighties as a wee teenager, her parents divorce, sent to a Kibbutz in Israel at seventeen, a time of drugs, sex, booze and milking cows and an epiphany of a cranium problem.

The puppet feature incorporated into the act works well; it allows for a discussion between performer and her illness to take centre stage as a comical duo.  It is also a great educational tool that adds clarity to the issues surrounding epilepsy. The flamboyant costume and puppet design by Sarah Seahorse adds flair and vibrancy to the performance.

Chait continues her life journey as she barely tolerates her condition. She continues playing with the space invaders in her head, her failed romances, her hippie phase and experimenting with alternative herbs are all very funny. She consistently shines light on herself as she searches for meaning and well-being.

This good first show that explores inner demons and mental malfunctions. sometimes slips into inconsistency. If the stories could be tweaked it will tighten the overall structure of the performance.

Electro Girl is a hilarious, occasionally sad and confronting entertaining show!

Flora Georgiou