Strong acting and interesting concept at its core make it a worthwhile performance
Nicholas Collett is the six-sided man, a depressed psychiatrist who decides to introduce excitement and risk into his life by living it according to the dictations of a die. He gives the die options and obeys its every command. His philosophy: to enable he and his fellow humans to live free, without limitations or repression. Gavin Robertson plays various of his patients and disciples as this game of chance grows into an almost religious movement, beyond the control of Collett’s character.
Interspersed with enjoyably incongruous ABBA hits, the play is generally high-tension, high-stakes. Robertson and Collett are engaging and magnetic performers who deliver their parts with a good balance of gravitas and comic timing. They make good use of physical theatre throughout the performance, using mime to explore the play’s themes.
The action is punctuated by choreographed sequences in which the two actors mirror each other’s movements but, unfortunately, not to particularly good effect. The sequences, delivered without irony, look foolish and detract from the main meat of the play, imbuing it with a tackiness it doesn’t deserve.
That said, the strong acting and interesting concept at its core make it a worthwhile performance to catch while it’s still here.
