list.co.uk/festival Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE
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JELLY BEANS Deep-fried psychosis in blistering monologue ●●●●●
Writer and director Dan Pick’s monologue, brilliantly performed by Adam Harley, traces a hallucinatory journey in the life of an unnamed Port Glasgow man, from his obsession with niche webcam pornography to a bloody finale. It’s uncompromising and brutal, with barely a pause for breath in its machine gun rhythm. When the man’s relationship with his girlfriend Jess breaks down, he rampages through the town to exact vengeance, and truth and reality blur.
There is an unflinching focus on bodies and bodily fluids here – it’s not for the squeamish, nor the easily offended. The depiction of a man in a wheelchair is ugly indeed, as is the unsparing misogyny. But the young man at the centre of the story, initially so articulate and sweet, is revealed through flashbacks to have psychopathic tendencies which are only exacerbated by casual sex, drink and cocaine. Though a little predictable in its execution, there
is some excellent writing and Harley’s performance is impossible to ignore. Jelly Beans raises wider questions of the care of excluded vulnerable people and the root causes of mental breakdowns, without ever casting judgement. (Lorna Irvine) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, until 28 Aug (not 20), 3.15pm, £8–£10 (£7–£9).
SUBMISSION The struggles of a young gay Muslim ●●●●● MEET ME AT DAWN Zinnie Harris gets rough with grief ●●●●●
Sameer (Shiv Rabheru) is a young British Pakistani who finds his sexuality in conflict with his Islamic heritage: at a party on his 23rd birthday, he is compelled to confront the tension and recognises the problems facing queer people of colour. Writer Shafeeq Shajahan draws on Quranic verses, which Rabheru slips elegantly into casual speech, to build a poetic yet believable emotional arc as Sameer grapples with new challenges.
Shafeeq Shajahan’s script is bold in addressing the relationship between Islam and homosexuality. His complex relationship with Danial (Kieran McIntosh) also plays a central role in how he comes to understand himself. Danial’s persona shifts frequently throughout the performance, moving from confidant to lover to existential threat rapidly and McIntosh conveys these quick tonal shifts well.
Both actors play off each other well in conversation,
but are less convincing during their moments of intimacy. These sequences lack a spark of passion which slightly deadens the sense of sexual exploration that Rabheru works so hard to create. Some aspects lack polish, but Rabheru’s delicate
performance carries this complex story. (Liam Hainey) ■ C royale, until 28 Aug, 2.20pm, £10.50–£11.50 (£8.50–£9.50).
Two women crawl ashore a bleak rocky island. Soaked to the skin, with adrenaline surging through their veins, Robyn and Helen ecstatically cling to one another. They have both miraculously survived the capsizing of their rented boat unharmed, save for hawking up mouthfuls of seawater.
Originally presenting itself as something of a survival drama, Zinnie Harris’ new play for the Traverse is a slow burner. As the couple grapple to understand what is happening to them on this otherworldly island, it becomes clear that neither of them have really survived at all. Helen (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) was killed in the accident while, in the living world, Robyn (Neve McIntosh) is drowning in a maelstrom of grief.
Director Orla O’Loughlin deals with the complexities of this uncanny experience with a delicate touch, and McIntosh and Duncan-Brewster are outstanding, their utterly convincing relationship reminding us of the unfathomable impermanence of even the most profound love. Towards the end, the play does begin to meander as though hesitant of reaching a conclusion – but then, anyone who has lost a loved one will understand the yearning for just ten more minutes. (Irina Glinski) ■ Traverse, until 27 Aug (not 21), times vary, £21.50 (£9.50–£16.50).
WILD BORE A battle cry against the legion of monstrous critics ●●●●●
Far more than a simplistic anarchic attack on criticism, Wild Bore is a relentlessly inventive exploration of the purpose of theatre. Taking the bad writing of reviewers more concerned with drawing attention to themselves than discussing a performance, it exposes the critics’ dirty little secret: they are usually writing about themselves. Torn between a desire to entertain and educate, Zoe Coombs Marr, Ursula Martinez and Adrienne Truscott propose a new kind of theatre, one not based in reverence for Shakespeare – as their frequent references to Hamlet attest – and more self- conscious, fragmented and placing the female body centre stage. The format is, as they admit, meta-theatrical, using the
comments of reviewers as a foundation for a broad look at conventional narratives and exploding them with cabaret glee. The tableau is mocked, the naked body is paraded as a provocation and a surprise fourth performer arrives to challenge the trio’s claims to feminism. The constantly shifting strategies undermine the expectations of the theatre, while constantly reminding the audience that the apparent mayhem is the result of serious dramaturgical thought.
While the quotations from negative reviews provide a hook, it’s the rejection of linear narratives and traditional structure that reveals Wild Bore’s intentions. Alluding to the problems of a patriarchal system that defines criticism and performance, Marr, Martinez and Truscott replace it with a fluid, satirical and sensual series of episodes, building towards a finale that deconstructs itself even as it appeals for laughter and applause.
Such a wild adventure demands strong reactions, but this positive review not only praises its ambition, intelligence and wit: the five stars recognise the genius of Gareth K Vile, who can discern Wild Bore’s revolutionary dramaturgy. (Gareth K Vile) ■ Traverse, until 27 Aug (not 21), times vary, £21.50 (£9.50-£16.50).
17–28 Aug 2017 THE LIST FESTIVAL 77 17–28 Aug 2017 THE LIST FESTIVAL 77
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