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Camden Fringe 2024
There’s plenty of fun and intrigue to be had, and with a little more focus could offer even more.Summary
Rating
Good
It’s always a refreshing change to see a full cast at Camden Fringe. Budget restraints and the host of problems of taking a larger cast along for the ride usually lead to an abundance of one person shows! So How Dead Am I? instantly gets extra appreciation for daring to fill the stage with not only a seven strong cast, but seven equal roles.
Along with the extra points for cast size, more are garnered for somehow keeping all seven from falling over each other in this fast paced dark comedy, Giaele Mattioli‘s movement choreography really working overtime. Scenes set in a club see all seven somehow work around one another smoothly, whilst a rather disturbing scene as they all seem to fight their inner demons is an absolute show stealer.
It does though begin much more simply, one lone actor pottering around and arguing with an unseen presence as she waits for the new arrivals. There are some lovely comic touches to this opening scene, but after the scene is set, it could perhaps do with moving on a little more quickly to take us to the main action. One by one the rest appear, almost out of the wall. These six new souls are confused about who they are, where they are, even how they have arrived here, and the first person is giving little away. Instead she coaxes them to remember, to understand and to recognise each other. It’s a wonderful set up that leaves plenty of mystery to unravel as the six souls make their own efforts to fathom it all out, including the realisation that they are all dead.
There’s plenty of fun to be had as we witness the ensemble discover their fates, as well as understanding why they are in this place. In fact it’s fun trying to work out just what this place actually is! But there’s also a seriousness to proceedings, a message that being different is acceptable, that little moments are important, and that friendships should be cherished. The death scene for all six, whilst beautifully portrayed, is shocking and leaves me wondering if there is a reference to real life events?
However, as a devised piece, it feels as if the show still hasn’t quite found its feet (this was its debut on stage so that’s almost to be expected). At times it’s a bit too zany, too much happening at once, with people rushing around and leaving you wondering which way to look. With seven performers permanently on stage, there needs to be more consideration on where to direct our focus. I’d also question the need for the cheerful lift music at the start that goes on way too long and risks drowning out words at times. And as intriguing as the whole premise is, there are parts that I struggled to place any meaning to, so perhaps a little more clarity at times might help to point us in the right direction.
How Dead Am I? certainly offers plenty of promise of what it might become with a fuller run to bed itself in properly (a run it is getting in Edinburgh this month). It’s a more than clever idea that is executed with oodles of energy and enthusiasm that means it remains fun throughout. If it can calm itself down a little and gain a stronger focus, it will become an even more enjoyable watch.
Devising and performed by: Chia-Yi Chan, Theadora Contin, Isabel Hees, Caroline Karlsen, Jillian Patterson , Dany Van Brabant , Magdalena Weitgasser
Creative Mentorship by: Nicole Palomba
Writing Assistance by: Cristiano Benfenati and Nicole Palomba
Movement Choreography by: Giaele Mattioli
Tech/DSM by: Janhavi Shivalkar
How Dead Am I? played for one night only as part of Camden Fringe. It will also play at EdFringe from 12 – 25 August, further information available here.
You can read more about the show in our recent interview here.
