Credit: Rui Henriques
Ey up pet, gather round — Grace Hatchell here, satchel under one arm, kettle on, muscles… absolutely not on show. And let me tell you, a show called Iron Fantasy landing at Soho Theatre this March has just marched straight into me delivery round and demanded a word.
Now, when I first heard “sweaty live music theatre about strength”, I’ll be honest — I thought it were either a gym advert gone rogue or a medieval hen do with a budget. But no. This one’s clever. And funny. And tender. And just a bit bonkers. Which, as we know, is usually a very good sign.
The brains, biceps and bravery behind Iron Fantasy belong to She Goat — the franglais duo of Shamira Turner and Eugénie Pastor (I know, sounds like a posh cheese but stick with me). These two critically acclaimed actor-musicians have taken a long, hard look at the word “strong” and said, “Hang on… why does that feel so complicated?” Same, love. Same.
Inspired by 1990s fantasy telly (think dramatic cloaks, dramatic stares, dramatic fog) and medieval aesthetics (armour, quests, and probably sore knees), Iron Fantasy follows two gentle, confrontation-avoidant beings — which frankly could be me trying to complain about cold chips — as they head off on a quest to pump iron, strap on armour, and finally learn how to fight back. Emotionally. Physically. Possibly with a flute.
And yes, you heard that right. This show features live flute, autoharp, singing, electronic beats, gym anthems mashed up with medieval music, fantasy training montages, autobiographical soul-searching… and eating a raw egg on stage. I’ve seen some things in theatre, but that’s still a sentence I never expected to write.
Over the past four years, Shamira and Eugénie didn’t just think about strength — they went and lifted it. Literally. They took up weightlifting, trained with a fight choreographer, and ran workshops with children, teenagers and older women to explore how our ideas of strength get planted early, how gendered they are, and how they change as bodies age. Turns out resilience and emotional endurance were familiar territory… but that kind of strength? The blockbuster hero stuff? Felt mysterious. Off-limits. One six-year-old summed it up best by saying strength is “pulling a car with your teeth”. Which, frankly, sets expectations a bit high for a Tuesday.
Within the show, the pair flip between clownish, cartoon versions of themselves and moments of real, striking honesty. Dressed in armour made from kitchen utensils and shoelaces — because nothing says “battle ready” like a ladle — they attempt training regimes, side-quests and fight moves. They never pretend to be experts. Instead, they invite us into the vulnerability (and comedy) of trying. Which is, if you ask me, one of the bravest things you can do on a stage.
Eugénie says they wanted to make this show to find out if they could feel strong — and that meant asking why they didn’t already. Through workshops with people of all ages, they explored what it means to grow up, live, and age with the idea that you’re “less” physically strong than others. That question’s only become more urgent as their own bodies changed, in a world that still refuses to calm down its epidemic of violence against women and girls. Heavy stuff. But handled with heart.
Shamira adds that making the show shifted their relationship with their bodies — away from how they look on the outside, towards what they can do and how that feels on the inside. And honestly? I felt that in me bones just reading it. The show asks whether we can reimagine what “strong” really means. Can we vanquish our fears? Can we stand firm while the world crashes about us? And, crucially, have they made some songs about it? Yes. Yes they have.
So if you fancy a night at the theatre that’s funny, sweaty, medieval, musical, unexpectedly moving, and asks big questions without pretending to have neat answers — Iron Fantasy might just be your quest. As for me? I’ll be delivering myself to Soho Theatre sharpish. Armour optional. Satchel very much coming along.
Ticket link: https://sohotheatre.com/events/iron-fantasy/
Price: £14 to £21
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