Lisa Rose takes us back to the 90’s and recalls her journey as a young actress navigating endless auditions while holding down a job that paid the bills – an assistant position at Miramax. Early on, the name at the centre of this story emerges as her boss, Harvey Weinstein. What begins as a personal story of ambition quickly transforms into something darker, as Rose unpacks the predatory culture she was forced to navigate.

While the #MeToo movement is often associated with the famous women who spoke out, TOO SMALL TO TELL shifts the focus to the quieter stories, the ones that didn’t make headlines, those of the assistants, employees and ordinary people who lived and worked in fear. These are the accounts that matter just as much, and here Rose gives them a voice.

Some of the most powerful moments come through Rose’s use of verbatim voice recordings of former Miramax employees. These recordings offer a glimpse into the widespread complicity that allowed the abuse to continue, particularly from male employees. One man admits leaving a young assistant alone with Weinstein at the Savoy Hotel, dismissively attempting to justify it – ‘They’re just working right…?’

Rose also share her fears for her own daughter, an impactful section of the show that I think could’ve been introduced earlier and woven throughout. When this moment does arrive, it adds emotional resonance, tying past trauma to present concerns. She continues to reminds us the fight is still far from over and that while predators like Weinstein may be behind bars, others are still getting away with it or only just being investigated. Just look at the news – Russell Brand, Andrew Tate, Sean Combs. The abuse of power persists and TOO SMALL TO TELL demands we keep listening, keep questioning and keep speaking out.

TOO SMALL TO TELL is on until 20th May at Brighton Fringe, ticket available here. 

Trigger warnings – sexual harassment, assault, abuse and bullying.