Rubies in the Attic

100487 original

Some things are best left locked away, and sadly, that may be the case for Rubies in the Attic. Their trip down genealogy lane attempts to evoke the histories of each Doll’s forebears, but the show never gets beyond the twee and tiresome. So tiresome, in fact, that one audience member dropped off mid-way during the performance.

Jen Doll (yes, they all use ‘Doll’ after their names. Sigh.) is one of the few saving graces of the piece, taking on the role of her eccentric, steady-older-man-hunting grandmother with aplomb. But her engaging performance is drowned in a sea of synthetic smiles and matching Mary-Janes as the girls flit from scene to scene in a haze of dodgy accents and feigned enthusiasm. The ideas behind the show certainly have merit, but the Dolls’ acting is not strong enough to cope with the demands of bringing their ancestors’ stories to life.

The songs from the South African portion of the performance, particularly ‘Asikhatale’, showcase the musical skill of the girls, and they are at their collective best when singing in close harmony. The musical interludes do not go on long enough, though, and as one number ends, so begins a scene too short to really become invested in. By knitting together four very different tales into one show, the Dolls sever the opportunity for the audience to truly immerse themselves in each individual story, and this dilutes its potential to be a more emotive and gripping piece.