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Bedlam Theatre
An ambitious and put-together production that falls short in several placesSummary
Rating
Good
Bedlam Theatre, a 90-seat venue housed in an old Neo-Gothic church, is a striking and imposing location that makes the perfect setting for this intense, dark production. Sam Hooper and Robert Tripolino seek to personify Death, characterising him as a beleaguered office worker who is constantly frustrated at the lack of appreciation he receives. In doing so, this production raises questions about our approach to mortality and what a life-well lived looks like.
Gabrielle Scawthorn’s direction makes the most of Bedlam Theatre’s stage. On one side sits Death (Hooper), hunched over a desk that is dwarfed by piles of storage boxes brimming with people’s death reports, which have tongue-in-cheek labels such as “27 club” and “bear”. Behind Death hangs a noticeboard, which is central to the plot and provides a handy visual aide.
The plot revolves around Death’s desperate attempts to get across that our mortality is not something to be afraid of, and that, in fact, we should appreciate the effort he puts into curating our lives. To prove his point, he moves through a selection of case studies from his work, pinning each on the board before launching into a passionate monologue directed towards the audience. Hooper does not shy away from representing society’s extremes, ranging from a suicidal and repressed deep South Church Pastor to a bitter school shooter. The writing stumbles a bit here, struggling to inject much humanity or nuance into these heavy and dark stories. They often feel quite shallow, and it seems that this production sometimes struggles to make comedy out of heavier topics without trivialising or misrepresenting them.
Hooper captures Death’s awkward and preening demeanour with ease. His often-oblivious observations are central to the comedy of this show and get plenty of laughs from the audience. The live music accompaniment to the show is exciting, combining piano and guitar with recorded sound to create impressive moments of musical theatre and performance art that follow each case study. These range from live poetry to interpretive dance and singing. This contrast gives the production two very distinct moods, which impressively never feels awkward or disjointed from one another. When these moments work, they serve to boost the emotional resonance of this production and offer a moment of artistic expression that is stimulating and thought provoking. Hooper is a great dancer, but I struggled to get much out of the poetry and singing, which feels a bit unwieldy in places. This awkwardness can be disruptive to viewer immersion, which is vital in a production where the character of Death relies on audience connection.
The show does conclude on a moving note, exploring the power of legacy and memory. Hooper is a confident performer who gives this show his all, but unfortunately this production misses the mark in several places. Despite this, this is still an enjoyable hour of quirky and musical dark comedy.
Written and composed by: Sam Hooper and Robert Tripolino
Directed by: Gabrielle Scawthorn
Death Suits You plays at EdFringe 2023 until 27 August. Further information and bookings can be found here.
