“You will leave a wrestling fan.” - The bold claim of this autobiographical debut by Tegan Verhuel. What is clear is that Tegan is definitely a wrestling fan. She loves it. Like really loves it. The passion in which she speaks about sweaty men pile-driving and slamming and leg-locking and smack-talking each other really does prompt you to think - maybe I should get into wrestling?
A royal rumble of light entertainment that will thrill fans
For the mega fan this show provides a deep dive into some of wrestlings history's greatest moments and you could see the fans in the audience fully lost in these moments. However for the casual viewer there was a risk of getting lost in the details. This show is very information heavy, much of the content wouldn't be out of place on a TED talk. This lecture-come-performance however is interwoven with snippets of the tale of Tegan’s marriage falling apart. These moments have a real emotional core to them and an honesty that invites us in, but as quickly as these moments flicker in they end. Towards the end of the show we do get a longer section of personal reflection which has provided the show a bit of depth.
Verhuel has a really dynamic and engaging stage presence and is excellent at making the audience feel part of her team. While the humour isn't always quite laugh out loud funny, it is energetic and undeniably entertaining. This one woman show (or three-hander depending on if you count the 6ft cutouts of The Undertaker and The Hitmsn who stood either side of her) is a royal rumble of light entertainment that will thrill fans but doesnt quick pack the punch required to convert.
