Roleplay review – Fleabag producer scores again with one woman’s life as a ‘slutfluencer’
A review of Roleplay, a solo show by Australian writer-performer Hannah Reilly at Summerhall in Edinburgh, examines the commodification of female sexual empowerment through the story of a podcaster who rebrands herself as a "slutfluencer" to chase online attention. Produced by Francesca Moody, whose past hits include Fleabag and Baby Reindeer, the show has drawn large queues at the fringe, and the review finds it ultimately delivers on its buzz despite an early tension between critiquing and exploiting its racy premise.
The play follows Danielle, or Danni, whose earnest podcast is steered by a producer towards sexed-up content, blurring the line between sex-positive feminism and OnlyFans-style content. Reilly voices multiple characters, including Danni's mother, a former foreign correspondent representing an older "boardroom" feminism, and the story darkens into psychological-thriller territory before a bleak finale. The review, by a Guardian critic, praises Reilly's confident, deft performance but notes director Paige Rattray's staging can feel overly amped up, occasionally muddling the multiple voices.
- Guardian reviews Roleplay, Hannah Reilly's solo Edinburgh fringe show.
- Produced by Francesca Moody, of Fleabag and Baby Reindeer fame.
- Explores commodification of sex-positive feminism via a "slutfluencer" podcaster.