Alison Trower would be an excellent date – never running out of topics of conversation, skipping from theme to theme with probing intriguing questions that make you think, and not afraid to talk about sex. In her hour long show she does all of these things and the audience ends up with almost a brand new outlook on life, one that prompts a fascinating interactive conversation at the very end of the show.
Trower recalls various anecdotes, both fictional and factual, but all inspired by her lengthy period of spontaneous travel around Europe and North Africa, and tackles some very ponderous issues with questions that really make the audience reflect upon their own lives. Questions such as ‘What are words?’, ‘Who am I?’ and ‘What is time?’ are three of the most contemplative examples. She also fires interesting facts at us about things we don’t realise. For example, she informs us that whenever a person is asked to point to themselves, they always subconsciously point to their heart. It was little moments of realisation like this that really made the show worthwhile.
There were some rather random elements to the show too, such as the admittedly fun Jelly Baby Snap game that didn’t seem to bear much relation to the rest of the show and was more of an amusing interlude. There were a few ideas and concepts that weren’t quite as clear as others, but Trower advises us at the start of the show to only take away certain aspects of the show that really relate to us on an individual basis and freely admits that not everything will relate to everyone in the same way.
Trower provides a very reflective show with a fresh perspective on how we see life, and it was clear from the interactive discussion at the end of the show that everyone had taken different things from it, as people had various opinions on the topics discussed. Trower doesn’t try to convert to into her way of thinking – she merely encourages you to develop your own.
