Review: Managed Approach at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

With its debut in Queens’ College Black Box Studio in November of last year, Managed Approach, written by Jules Coyle and directed by Lily Ellis, returns triumphantly to the stage for Edinburgh Fringe.

Kate (Eanna Ferguson) recalls a period of her youth to her daughter, Abbie (Jules Coyle), which was shaken by a series of murders by Peter Sutcliffe—’the Yorkshire Ripper’—who targeted sex workers in the 1970s. In Kate’s mind, sex work signifies danger, and specifically the danger it poses for her daughter. Thus, when their local area, Holbeck, becomes the first legalised red light district in the UK, referred to as the Managed Approach, the mother and daughter clash when their contrasting views on the changes made to their area seem significant enough to tear their once unbreakable bond apart.

Image credits: Owen Wright

The Managed Approach was introduced in 2014 in response to the ongoing presence of street sex work in the Holbeck area of Leeds, allowing sex workers to operate without fear of arrest between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. According to Safer Leeds, the aims of of the Managed Approach were to ‘reduce the problems caused by street prostitution’, to improve the safety and health of street sex workers, and ultimately, ‘reduce the prevalence of street sex working’. But, as Managed Approach explores, the way in which the initiative played out in reality presented a more complex picture. The community of Holbeck had to adapt to these changes, with many in the area campaigning against it, eventually leading its discontinuation in 2020.

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The play primarily takes place in Abbie’s bedroom, and opens with her getting ready for a night out. Abbie is old enough to be able to go out clubbing on her own, but her recklessness and naivety reveal her youth. Kate tentatively shows her concern for her daughter, demonstrating her desire to protect Abbie while allowing her to have fun. Established in this scene, and maintained throughout the play, is the friction that exists between mother and daughter—a result of the desire to protect versus the desire for independence, and their differing beliefs about the role of the sex workers in the Holbeck community. Ferguson and Coyle work brilliantly together, crafting a relationship that feels familiar and tender. But independently, too, both actors are able to portray characters that arouse in the audience sympathy and, at times, frustration at their stubbornness.

Image credits: Owen Wright

The scenes between mother and daughter are interspersed with live interviews with sex workers in the area, played by Tel Chiuri as Sarah/Tara and H Sneyd as Dani/Ellen. What stood out to me was how both actors were able to replicate the subtle mannerisms and delivery often found in real interviews; it really did seem as though they were answering questions in the moment, rather than pre-rehearsed lines. These moments certainly add to the gritty realism of Managed Approach, capturing with great attention to detail the harsh and complex realities of a legalised red light district.

It was particularly impressive how tension is maintained throughout the play: The sound mixing by sound designer Stan Hunt contributes significantly to the tension, adding to an uneasy atmosphere. There are plenty of moments, including Abbie’s description of the party and her walk home, where the anticipation of danger hangs in the air. We are thus forced to understand Kate’s ongoing anxiety about Abbie, and about all the women in Holbeck, including the sex workers, who live in an environment where tension runs high and is haunted by past tragedy. Managed Approach does not end with a neat resolution: just like in real life, the discontinuation of the project does not mean the end of sex work in the area. Indeed, as Abbie explains to her mother, it will continue just as before, but with less legal protection for the workers and greater opportunity for their exploitation.

Image credits: Owen Wright

On the process of writing Managed Approach, Coyle recounts her surprise in discovering how little her friends knew about her city, and thus she sought to write a play that centred around Leeds and the women who live there. It is truly impressive just how immersive the play is, with relatively limited space and set design, drawing the audience into the different perspectives of the women living in Holbeck. Managed Approach is a must-see for anyone at Edinburgh Fringe this August.

5/5

Managed Approach is showing at The Coorie, Gilded Balloon Patter House from Fri 8th – Sun 24th August. Get your tickets here!