Theatre6 return to the Alma for just two nights with Chasing the Dream in the Least Harmful Way. Written and performed by Dominic Lindesay, this is an exceptionally original and utterly engaging hour-long one-man show. On a bare stage a young man, Guy, sits alone, clutching an acoustic guitar on which he is trying out chord-sequences; he appears to be writing a song and finding it difficult. Rather incongruously he is wearing a very business-like suit and tie. This mismatch between the world of emotional expression and the world of commerce lies at the heart of what is to come. The young man stops strumming and introduces himself. We learn that he had been struggling in a poorly-paid, dead-end job in London until, to his great joy, he was taken on by a recruitment company. There he has learned that, ‘when you succeed in life everyone should know’. He has done well in his new job, cheerfully adopting the pseudo-American accent that his employers have told him to use when dealing with potential clients. Just when it seems that we are in for an extended analysis of the petty politics of office life, a disembodied voice asks him to talk about his father. The mood shifts. We learn that his father was a talented scientist but that he is now stricken with dementia: ‘Dad believes the stars are alive’. Who is more in touch with reality – go-getting Guy or his fantasising father?

Dominic Lindesay has created a fascinating and morally complex character. Guy is often crass, yet he is capable of considerable sensitivity. At times he is a blundering, selfish oaf, but he can also be forensically self-aware. We see his increasingly inebriated and excruciatingly inept attempt to chat up an attractive colleague at an office party, but we also see him thoughtfully reflecting on the masks that people wear when playing life’s various roles. This show is apparently ‘inspired by real events, and fictional events from real dreams.’ To what extent is this a confessional piece? Lindesay seems to be exploring some deeply felt personal issues, though the show is most certainly not heavy going. There are many very funny sequences and the hour passes quickly, not least because Lindesay is a very talented actor who gives a note-perfect and often very moving portrayal of a man torn between his material and his spiritual selves. Chasing the Dream… is a work in progress but I would urge that any tinkering that might be done in the future should be embarked upon very cautiously, for it is very good indeed just as it stands. I enjoyed it hugely.       ★★★★☆   Mike Whitton  23/04/15