I reviewed Call Me Crazy today at the Edinburgh Fringe.
The show’s premise asks: how many times can people call you “crazy” before you lose your f*cking mind? After the medical system fails to find the cause of a woman’s pain, she is pushed to extremes to be heard and is forced to question the world around her. It’s a complex, inside-out look at a woman risking everything as she decides what is better: to disappear, be tossed aside, or give in and completely explode.
From the very first moment, there’s no preamble – it’s straight into the action. The focus is entirely on Olivia Ormond, who plays the central character with an intensity and emotional honesty that grips you immediately.
This show touches on what it means to be a woman and the things women endure but shouldn’t – especially when it comes to the actions and attitudes of men. It explores the constant discourse of a woman’s life, raising questions that stay with you long after you leave the theatre. No one said this would be a pleasant watch, but it’s a piece that forces you to think about women’s thoughts, choices, and ownership of their own bodies.
The acting was superb, every moment delivered with precision and conviction. The performance ran seamlessly, supported by simple staging and lighting that heightened the atmosphere without distracting from the story.
Staging is kept minimal, allowing Ormond’s performance to take centre stage, with lighting shifts subtly amplifying the emotional intensity. The effect is intimate and claustrophobic, keeping the audience locked in the character’s world.
By the time the lights go down, you’re left both shaken and deeply moved. Women in the audience will recognise echoes of their own experiences and perhaps feel a sense of sisterhood in the telling. Men will walk away with a clearer understanding of the realities women face – and perhaps a renewed awareness of their own role in those dynamics.
Call Me Crazy is not just a show; it’s a rallying cry. It’s brave, blistering theatre that lingers long after you’ve left the room.
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/call-me-crazy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – a fully deserved five stars.
