Anna Krauze

“It is a bold and courageous bit of storytelling from a charismatic and gifted actor.”

“The writer Anna Krauze, who also plays the role, is excellent. She’s completely confident and unabashed in showing the sex trade (on the telephone). It’s a ‘hot’ but always self-aware performance which gradually moves onto the more in-depth issues being explored.

The set, which includes a lot of paintings on easels and drawings, is beautifully placed around the space. The artwork is gradually revealed as the show gets deeper and more profound. We are drawn in to listen with sympathy. Credit must be given to director Coral Tarran for the fine tuning of the piece. It’s such a delicate subject, so easy for people not to want to hear it or see but it works really well in this format.

It’s the beauty of Camden Fringe that such a subject can receive an airing. It deserves to be seen by a wider audience and hopefully will go on to more venues.”

“Feminism, sex, gender politics, abuse, pleasure, betrayal and so much more.

Anna has written a very deep and complicated character in Natalia – after all, how many strident feminist sex workers are there in the world? Let alone ones that have more than a modicum of sympathy for the people using their services. I could fully understand why Natalia is successful in her occupation. The character has a wonderfully engaging personality, not to mention an impressive range of accents, and a real willingness to throw herself into ensuring that when her clients end their phone call, they are fully satisfied and eager to return. (...)

Krauze, under the direction of Carol Tarran has put together a really good, energetic, and absorbing story. Natalia feels real and the things she goes through are believable on the whole. The show really works and, just like Natalia’s clients, it left me satisfied and wanting more.”

“A promising comedy that sticks two fingers up at the patriarchy and is not afraid to explore female sexuality.

How has the phrase ‘Daddy Issues’ become a way of insulting women instead of the men who have messed them up? Because when the protagonist, Natalia (Anna Krauze), makes this statement it redefines the whole phrase for me. It’s now, I realise, something deeply rooted in sexism and toxic masculinity. This was everything Krauze’s Daddy Issues represented; the unspoken truth, taboo subjects surrounding female sexual pleasure and the role of the absentee father.

Krauze’s script is witty, comical and, most importantly, it’s real. There are some genius moments in this one woman show; laughter fills the room when Natalia slaps on a flat cap and impersonates one of the dads on the line wanting her to roleplay as his daughter’s best friend, Millie. She takes us through the journey of what women go through on a daily basis, from unsolicited penis pictures in our DMs, to ensuring our vulvas are ‘baby smooth’ for men. There is such a contemporary commentary on female sexual pleasure in this play. Through comedy, Natalia spends the hour crushing stereotypes and taboos (...).

Just when you think Daddy Issues is all dark comedy and overt sexual gestures, we get to see an extremely vulnerable side to Natalia. The emotional conviction in her final monologue describing her own relationship with her father is both moving and captivating. The subtlety in her movements and words juxtapose the first half, really setting the tone of what both Krauze and director, Coral Tarran, want to achieve.”

“Daddy Issues is written and performed by Anna Krauze. Her distinct sardonic voice imbues the show with a cynical knowingness from the very opening moments.. (...)

Krauze is clearly a talented storyteller with an original voice. There is a raw energy to her performance (...).
We get a strong sense of Natalia’s dysfunction and cynicism, (...) Some of the humour in the piece is sharp enough to draw blood.

Director Coral Tarran ensures the focus is very much on Krauze’s performance, while on stage the seductive backs of various canvases tease us with more to be revealed. Each moment a new picture is shared is significant, nothing on the stage is wasted. I loved the inclusion of the different Art pieces in the show, they offer such a vibrant window into Natalia’s world.

Daddy Issues fearlessly tackles many subjects including sex work, female pleasure, abusive relationships, self-destructive attraction, xenophobia and feminism. (...) It is a thought-provoking piece of theatre that is well worth experiencing as it stands, but it has the potential to be extraordinary once it finds its rhythm.”

“The actor, writer and producer of the piece (Anna Krauze) offers us nice energy and lovely brutal sarcasm. (...)

There are some lovely moments in the story that underline the real struggles faced by a girl who has clearly suffered and sees herself as little more than a sexual object. I also really like the honest exploration of confliction and guilt inherent within wanting to be a feminist, but to also be submissive during sex. This is an interesting area to explore and could spark some healthy debate.

The unexpected joy of the production is the original artwork. The artist (I am assuming Krauze herself) is clearly a talented painter, and it’s nice to see this added layer of talent included in the piece. (...)

Krauze’s work has great potential and I look forward to seeing more of it; her comedy is spot on and keeps the audience engaged. (...) I do recommend checking it out.”

“Daddy Issues is a strong short play that explores sexuality, sex work, female pleasure, and daddy issues in intersecting and interesting ways. Weaving together the stories of Nat’s phone-based sex work, her feminist art, and her own history (...) this short play manages to present and explore a unique perspective on both men’s and women’s deep sexual desires.

The play is driven entirely by Nat, a young Polish immigrant and a phenomenal storyteller. She is an instantly engaging character with strong opinions, very funny and very smart. Her thoughts are nuanced and new, providing fresh insight into the intersection of feminism, sex, and money. (...)

Jumping quickly from one scene to the next, the play continues to surprise me, quickly but fully exploring everything from the therapy men sometimes seek in relationships to Nat’s unexpected attraction to older men. Through both its form and its discussions, the play does a great job weaving the absurdity, the pleasure, and the disgust of sex together, allowing the audience to understand that sex can be many things at once.”

“Distinct theatrical voice from the offset - cheeky, sarcastic with a hint of optimism brings a story seen on stage more in recent years, a breath of fresh air. (...) Dialogue is authentic and true to life. (...) Definitely has the potential to be a show talked about for years to come.”

“A one woman play, written and brilliantly played by Anna Krauze. (…) The opening, dimly lit scene shows Natalia lying on the floor with her legs draped over a large cushion as she takes a series of sex calls from various men. Many (…) relate to male fantasies of sex with very young women, if not girls. Natalia obligingly pretends she finds the calls exciting, and pants and gyrates her way through pretend sex.

Interspersed with these calls are her reflections on men, sex, ideas about Polish culture, art and her body (…).

Natalia plays these scenes with a convincingly brittle and hard edge, but she is psychologically fragile (…).

The play is dark, as it needs to be, considering the subject matter. The writer
and actor convincingly captures the broken identity of an abused young woman. (…)

Anna Krauze is superb, her courage and
honesty shines through. I would hope she continues writing on ‘difficult’ subjects.”