The internationally acclaimed Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner is electric, must-see theatre. Full of pop culture references and contemporary drama, it speaks to the way that social media impacts our lives. Written by British playwright Jasmine Lee-Jones and co-directed by Zindzi Okenyo and Shari Sebbens, this five-star iteration elicits roaring laughter, enthusiastic clapping, quiet gasps and a standing ovation from the captivated audience.
The Beckett Theatre, part of the Malthouse Theatre in Southbank, is dressed as an unassuming, low-rise living space with a bed, Besser block bookshelves and a huge suspended lightbox. In darkness, the blue light of a mobile phone illuminates Cleo (Chika Ikogwe, of recent Heartbreak High fame) aka #incognegro lying on her bed laughing and chuckling as she scrolls through her phone.
Daylight and the sweet sound of morning birdsong seeps into the scene. The high-low whistle of a Twitter notification propels Cleo out of bed to pace the room: "WTF!" The lightbox beams bright white and features the cute blue bird of the Twitter logo. The next hour-and-a-half flies by.
Forbes has declared reality TV star Kylie Jenner as the “youngest self-made billionaire” and Cleo is outraged. On a rapid-fire rampage of social activism, she slashes the myth of self-made wealth, while also confronting cultural appropriation and the fetishising of Black women.
In the vacuum of the tweetstorm, Cleo’s childhood friend Kara (Iolanthe) arrives to offer support. With spoken word styling, their fast-and-sharp tweet readings are synchronised with sashaying grace, groovin’ high-definition moves and the high-octane AI thrumming of a chain of identical emojis: hahahahahahahahahaha.
When leading international news organisations join the conversation, Cleo is thrilled. Her words are on the world stage, and she is finally heard. Memes of Kermit the Frog sipping tea and Oprah Winfrey colour the conflict, but then the trolls get deeper, darker and dirtier. Offensive to the extreme.
Online and IRL drama evolves. Cleo finds strength in recollections of Martin Luther King while Kara aims for subjugation as Frozen’s Elsa singing ‘Let it Go’. Shockingly, it’s the resurfacing of Cleo’s 2014 homophobic tweets that short-circuit her tirade and rehashes bitter memories for Kara.
Knocked off her soapbox and struggling with threats that her IRL address will be revealed, the fierce AF Black beauties work to dismantle Cleo’s connection to her physical domain. In this flip to calm self-care, the restrained performances of Ikogwe and Iolanthe remind us of the power of women in charge, and how perfectly coordinated, controlled and compelling Okenyo and Sebbens’ direction has been.
Taking the blessing of community connections to the next level, Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner at the Malthouse Theatre comes with post-show Vyb Nyts. Ambient lights, DJs, performances and delicious food make for the perfect atmosphere to pay homage to women, education, creativity, intelligence and the joy of being part of the brethren.
Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner is on until January 29, 2023. For more information, head to the website.