17 – 19 May                        

Strolling on, unannounced by any dimming of lights, as casual as you like in crumpled black with black, silent, trainers, masked by a virtual reality headset (also in black) Tim Crouch sees through us to an imaginary virtual audience. Labelled and categorized according to position, occupation and income, it’s a waiting game. What is he going to do with us or indeed our alter-audience? The mask comes off and he’s back in the room. A standup, there’s a bit of chat, a joke. The mask is back on and he’s Lear’s Fool, but he’s nobody’s fool. The alter-audience suffer some finger jabbing; what are they doing here? Some more chat and three wishes from a genie: no inequality, no hierarchy. That’s why the lights are on and the tickets are unreserved. Aah. So that’s his game. Second wish: tolerance, live and let live. Good luck with that, we tolerate what we don’t like and that has limits. Third wish, “Kill me”. He’s had a hard time at some point in his life, is that it? Back to the virtual Lear and Gloucester’s pad for a blinding. The Fool tries to warn people, but no one listens. That sounds like a message, truth-sayers are oft ignored in their own lifetime. There’s another joke involving onstage depravity and the…well I won’t spoil the joke. The Fool is a cynical chap; theatre is dead, this is ‘necro-theatre’. There’s another joke, without ordure this time and then we go home.

Music and sound by Pippa Murphy adds an emotional layer to the show which otherwise has no props or aids beyond the lighting. It’s a show which needs active engagement from the audience to fill out the gaps and follow the signs. Where your thoughts end up will of course be up to you in this novel format .

★★★☆☆   Graham Wyles  18 May 2024

Photo credit: Stuart Armitt