Presented at first by a set of large barrels and some odds and ends - a keyboard player, percussionist, and bass guitarist, as well as some well made-up actors - it was easy to make the mistake of thinking that this was going to be an adequate production of a horror story set in 1911. However, I soon discovered that the next hour and a half were going to be as trying an experience as any I have had during the Fringe.
I was excited to see a show performed by the young actors of John Moores University. This only increased my surprise when I first saw the star of the show, a middle aged man (David Llewellyn) hooked up to an IV drip of blood. The lights went down and the man began to prattle. His monologue paired Liverpool and Edinburgh in a tale of bloody disgrace; the fact that this connection served no real purpose in terms of the plot created the impression that it was simply a technique to entice tourists. The actor playing the man was not a bad actor, in fact he had a commanding and interesting voice, but there was no emotional depth to what appeared to be mere rambling. Moreover, his continuous attempts to upstage his fellow, student, actors were extremely frustrating for the audience. It is worth noting that the play concludes with Llewellyn’s character hesitating to relinquish the ‘fountain of youth’ to his young cast – irony is an understatement. There were also a number of uncomfortable moments, in which he noticeably forgot his lines.
This problem with the acting was endemic. The caricature and pantomime used by the cast were ineffective in capturing the reality of the lives of music hall actors. In the interest of fairness, certain performances were exceptions to this rule. However, they were unable to redeem the performance as a whole.
The music, on the other hand, was good. The cast can sing well and hold harmonies competently. Sarah Llewellyn’s compositions are bouncy and suit the genre. The band also held their own, even if they were a little unprofessional at times. Although, as an individual element, the music was engaging, when paired with the shoddy acting, the end result was demoralising.
I was thoroughly disappointed in this show. And to the poor girl who was stripped to nudity for the sake of this production, my heart goes out to you.
