In his first solo show up in Edinburgh Stefan Golaszewski has provided us with a witty and sophisticated look at his 18 year old self in the throws of his first love. This is a blindingly good show which revels in the little absurdities of love whilst shining incandescently when touching on the baffling beauty of it.
In 1999 Golaszewski met the woman of his dreams in a pub in Walthamstow, within one day it was over and he has never spoken to her again. This play was supposed to help him get over it however it is clear that this is still a man very much lost in a past love. How much of this is truth and how much fiction is up for grabs, Golaszewski writes with too much skill and knowledge about the blinding feeling of your first love for it not to be true, and yet he claims that all of the details and names have been changed. This does not matter however, because what is so brilliant here is Golaszewskis ability to take a personal and deeply moving experience and universalise it into a piece that everyone will relate to.
From the off he bombards you with little comedy gems, beguiling you into liking him, whilst delicately sending himself up. He rather grumpily introduces us to his friends, each of whom seem to perpetually annoy him. His infuriation at his friend Chris for buying a packet of crisps at 8.15pm intending to eat them at 9pm whilst excitedly planning on a whole 45, yes 45 minutes of excited anticipation is classic. This show is full of such subtly well perceived observations, delivered always in a slightly off beat manner which punctuates the humour perfectly.
Sweeping music accompanies the entrance of his love and we are swept along with Golaszewskis stuttering amazement at the sudden appearance of this creature, this girl who is his for a moment before she is heartbreakingly taken away. At points touchingly speechless, at others babbling effusive, he brilliantly conveys the mass of bubbling emotions erupting inside him.
Although there is no set, the piece is peppered with a selection of props, each one weighted to help Golaszewski send off the right impression whether that be silly or sweet. My favourite is a suitcase of yeses which Golaszewski rejoices in when she asks if she can kiss him, spilling them across the stage and making his later heartache all the more poignant when it happens on a stage full of crumpled yeses.
Stefan Golaszewski Speaks About A Girl He Once Loved is intelligent and imaginative and perfectly blends comedy and tragedy making it masterfully touching piece. At the end Golaszewski forlornly says It would be magnificent if I never thought of her again but after taking part in the wonderful experience of this show I for one am glad that she made such a lasting impression on him.
