The Gilbert Twins in Under The Influence, written and performed by Carine and Frances Gilbert, is a chaotic ride into the life of the eccentric online twins who have as much personality and energy offline as they do online. With lyrics, composition, and musical direction by Shona Maule, this feels like TikTok as a musical.
Set on a simple octagonal stage with a sofa and keyboard, Frances and Carine play themselves in a therapist's office, seeking couples therapy to resolve their sibling arguments. For audiences who are chronically online and love the idea of breaking out into song and bickering twins – this show has all of the above and does it very well. Carine and Frances squabble in such a slick and cutting way, it is a joy to watch — paced perfectly, which must owe some credit to the direction from Georgie Rankcom and Associate Director, Michelle Payne. Occasionally interjected by their therapist, Kate (played by Shona Maule), Maule plays the only sensible adult in the room. There are moments where the dialogue between them is so well structured, it highlights that they clearly have a lot of talent for writing; it will be interesting to see what they can do for characters who are not themselves.
Under The Influence is based on the dynamics of Carine and Frances' lives as content creators/actors. The main themes of the show focus on their identity as a double act, as sisters, and as individuals. The original songs are a great treat throughout, showing their inner thoughts and feelings.
A particular highlight is the flashback sequence when the therapist, Kate, asks about how their current disagreements originated. Assisted by clever lighting (Tom Turner) and movement (Annie Southall), the flashbacks cut back and forth to an argument where Carine threatens to defecate on the floor.
While this show is a lot of fun and a joy to see two brilliant performers and singers doing what they clearly know best, the complex emotional depths and tribulations they explore feel like they could be concluded more decisively. This may be due to the nature of it being a 1-hour show, which makes that resolution harder to achieve — though not impossible. Overall, this is a great night out, and for a 3-person musical, it deserves to be seen by more people.
Review: Anthea Arpad Photo: Danny Kaan