Bebe Cave's new multicharacter comedy Swoon, now playing at Pleasance Dome in Edinburgh, delivers a dazzling and chaotic satire that interrogates the role of the artistic muse and the enduring male gaze. The show, which runs until 30 August, uses slapstick, dance, and sharp cultural references to critique how women like Elizabeth Siddal were immortalised in art yet silenced and marginalised by the men who painted them.
A muse's story, retold with chaotic energy
Cave first appears as Elizabeth Siddal—or Lizzie—the model immortalised as Ophelia by John Everett Millais in the mid-19th century and a popular subject for other Pre-Raphaelite artists. With a comically excessive Scouse accent and world-weary exasperation, Siddal becomes the poster child for being sad and sexy, highlighting the dichotomy between the elevated status of the muse and their poor treatment by artists.
The narrative centres on Bertrude, Siddal's fictional sister, who desperately seeks inclusion among the pretentious Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood—a group whose idea of the perfect woman involves her looking near death. Through Bertrude's eyes, Cave exposes the absurdity and misogyny of the brotherhood's ideals.
Physical comedy and clever satire
Cave takes on numerous characters at breakneck speed, including a lanky redheaded mannequin, gloriously baffling dance sequences, and casual pop culture references. Her portrayal of the brotherhood and their orbit is marked by chaotic energy, with delightfully janky costumes and props and a Millais-coded set design that amps up the absurdity at every turn.
As Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Cave embodies the ultimate hipster bro, complete with a printed Carhartt logo on her top hat, adding an excellent touch to his obnoxious faux-trendiness. The men's nonchalant misogyny and lack of care towards women are accentuated through their cringey edgelord behaviour, making the satire both pointed and hilarious.
A message that transcends art history knowledge
Swoon also includes a Victorian-era Tyra Banks and the Brontë sisters, showcasing Cave's impressive range in physical comedy. The show has a wealth of jokes that rely on some knowledge of art history, but even without it, the message is clear: ridiculous men with pompous attitudes are forever contributing to the erasure of women.
While muses like Lizzie may live eternally in art, Cave argues they deserve more than being nameless subjects. Swoon works to dismantle the illusion of impossible beauty standards set and romanticised by clueless men, offering a smart and silly critique that resonates beyond the canvas.
