REVIEW: Cadets, Lakeside Theatre, University Of Essex ✭✭✭✭

Paul T Davies reviews Cadets, a one-woman solo show written and performed by Dani Kolanis at the Lakeside Theatre at the University Of Essex.

Dani Kolanis in Cadets Cadets

Lakeside Theatre, University of Essex

23 October 2019

4 Stars

Lakeside Theatre Website

The best solo shows often come from a strong autobiographical angle, in which life experiences are shaped into a strong narrative. Dani Kolanis has created a warm, affectionate solo piece about her time with the cadets, in particular, the Camden Cadets. Whist other boroughs, such as the much-loathed Redditch, present cadets of almost universal height, fitness and whiteness, Camden has just five members. All unique, all with their own struggles, and all facing the axe if the branch comes last in the annual test of fitness and challenges that bring all the cadet groups together.

The strength of the piece is in Kolanis’s superb physicality, she plays every character in her story, from every cadet group, and the cadet leaders are created with obvious affection. The fight between two girls on the bus is spot on, both with miming words and facial expressions and with the inevitable hair pulling, until they quickly pose to prove to the driver that they are best friends. Vocally, she weaves expertly between the personalities on parade and creates a story that comes from her own history. She captures perfectly that painful teenage attitude of thinking everything is so uncool, but acknowledges that these kids really need this troupe and the movement itself, it is a vital outlet for them.

Each teenager, naturally, has their own problems, and there is a strong LGBTQ message there, as well as backgrounds of knife crime and bullying. Occasionally she could let the piece breathe a little, let the audience take on board some of these issues before moving onto the next, funny, episode that happens to the gang. It’s a minor quibble though, as you really want to know what happens to them and you cheer them on as they stumble towards a Highly Commended. This is actually what I would give this show: A Highly Commended! I sincerely hope it finds a future on the festival circuit.

Until 24 October

LAKESIDE THEATRE WEBSITE