There’s an irony in James Rowland Dies at the End of the Show being performed in what was once an anatomy lecture theatre. In this space, where countless animal cadavers were coldly and clinically dissected, Rowland offers a warm meditation on the moments leading up to death – a pre-mortem journey that is engaging and emotionally rich but sometimes gets lost in the broad scope of its ambitions.
A pre-mortem journey that is engaging and emotionally rich.
Early in the performance, we’re introduced to the Golden Records, the discs which were attached to the Voyager 1 and 2 space probes - phonographs that contained sounds and images designed to give a flavour of the diversity of human culture. This show represents an attempt to do the same on a personal level. It’s a performed version of those records, full of the things Rowland has chosen to represent something of himself.
Those choices make for an interesting blend of the intensely private and the communal. On one hand, we have a selection of personal memories – interesting insights and tender, poignant moments from a life that are as ephemeral as the sheets of paper scattered across the performance space. On the other, there’s the folk story of Robin Hood, a collective memory that descends through the centuries, encoding cultural beliefs. Rowland shows himself to be a very able storyteller throughout the telling of both these strands, but particularly with the tale of the outlaw of Sherwood Forest. It’s a strong telling of a timeless tale, full of rowdy humour and emotional engagement.
As with NASA’s Golden Records, it’s an ambitious project, which is laudable if not entirely successful. The show maintains a loose style, which, on one hand, is fitting. The nature of life is, in many ways, nebulous and full of small, incidental moments and memories. On the other hand, it reveals the limitations of the show. It’s telling that the Hood section is the one that most easily captivates. Engagement with the other moments is not as secure. Though they are often very moving in themselves, these more personal moments rely on a more specific shared appreciation, which can’t be assured.
James Rowland Dies at the End of the Show serves as the concluding chapter of the performer’s trilogy, following the earlier pieces Learning to Fly and Piece of Work. You can’t get a much more final conclusion than death, and Rowland’s latest show proves a very fitting and enjoyable finale.
