Everything Theatre Reviews, interviews and news for theatre lovers, London and beyond
* At Some Point During This Play
A truly bizarre show that takes us from caveman to the edges of the universe as Andrew MacMillan gives us a lesson on “the magnitude of the unknowable void”.Summary
Rating
Excellent
I love a show with a touch of jeopardy, which is why I’m always attracted to stage thrillers and horror. So how could I not find myself drawn to a show with such a threat of high tension as a balloon popping? It’s a lovely red balloon, floating prominently towards the edge of the stage (almost) throughout. And yes, performer and writer Andrew MacMillan spends much of the show jumping around with a rather sharp pointy thing, meaning that threat is present throughout. It is some seriously high-tension stuff indeed.
Oh, and it’s also very damn funny. MacMillan launches into topics that seem to have little in common. Yet as he explains, it’s all cause and effect. We start off gently: we can all understand the idea of our fear of the unknown, so cause and effect takes us from cavemen being afraid of tribes on the other side of the river smoothly to Nigel Farage’s attempts to convince us that Johnny Foreigner should be feared. But as this part-Ted Talk part-sketch show moves along, we suddenly find ourselves trying to comprehend the speed of light and just how large the known universe is! It gets rather mind-boggling, but never dull or condescending. It’s very clear MacMillan is fascinated by science, and his enthusiasm is extremely infectious.
As random as it all sounds, MacMillan’s thoughts are bound together by that balloon and his sharp pointy thing and the fact that everything has an element of jeopardy, uncertainty – surprise even. Anything could happen at any moment and there is little we can do about it. But don’t fret; this is not a deep thesis into the pointlessness of it all, it is a whacky, crazy hour. Those deep thoughts are dropped in amongst scenes that contain a whole lot of laughter: a man contemplating suicide, but who can’t do it with anyone watching; a hostage taker demanding ‘they’ tell us the truth, which ‘they’ do, but they then explains he could have just read a book to find it out for himself.
MacMillan’s comic timing is spot on, as are his energy levels, keeping up the pace throughout as he switches from madcap scene to deep pondering on the meaning of it all. He also doesn’t miss a beat when a slight mishap occurs midway, because helium filled balloons and hot lights sometimes don’t mix! But you do get the feeling that, whilst not planned, he’s factored this into his thinking, as without pause he launches into a monologue on how more energy is required to create than it is to destroy, before popping offstage for a handy replacement.
The use of a video screen is always another slight risk in a small show, but here it works well, with sight lines carefully considered by director Eric Loren. There’s also lovely use of sound, perhaps slightly too loud in such a small venue, but nothing too concerning. Over the top sound cues and well-timed voiceovers work well to add a little extra body to proceedings, and again, MacMillan’s timing with them is near-perfect.
MacMillan is now heading to EdFringe, and it’s easy to imagine that this show will become a word-of-mouth success. As we reach the conclusion, with all eyes drawn back again to that balloon, MacMillan laments that “I don’t know what I’m trying to say”, but that’s clearly not true. He has plenty to say and does so in a thoroughly entertaining and interesting way. And if you’re wondering if the balloon ever does get popped, well, a good review should never give away the ending!
Written by: Andrew MacMillan
Directed by: Eric Loren
Produced by: Andrew MacMillan for East & Under
A Balloon Will Pop* (* At Some Point During This Play) plays at Canal Cafe Theatre until 22 June. It will then move to EdFringe from 2 – 10 August, tickets available here.
