King's Head Theatre Archives - Page 20 of 51

★★★★

“Karp is utterly convincing, and his journey from shy awkwardness to desperate loneliness is actually quite heart-breaking”

It does exactly what it says on the tin. Four funny, frank and – yes – awkward conversations between one man and the animals he’s fucked. Or been fucked by. Or wants to fuck. Rob Hayes’ unsettling script had the audience in stitches, and with a stellar solo performance by Linus Karp, this show proves to be a hit.

Each scene cleverly keeps the audience guessing who, or more accurately, what Bobby is talking to. Moving from his bedroom, to a hotel, to the cold woods, Bobby sits on the fringes of society. Anxiously avoiding the police and any interference from the outside world, he is an enigmatic figure just trying to connect to… something. Hayes has given us an extreme (and illegal?) position, but anyone whose sexual preference extends beyond monogamous heterosexuality will see something of themselves in Bobby.

Linus Karp as Bobby is genuinely hilarious, an awkward cross between Michael Cera and Max von Sydow. Deftly handling the script like he’s making it up on the spot, Karp is utterly convincing, and his journey from shy awkwardness to desperate loneliness is actually quite heart-breaking. Katherine Armitage has directed her actor effectively, ensuring an acute sense of space and making sure each scene has a completely different tone. Amanda Ljunggren’s design suggests a young, messy, confused man surrounded by IKEA furniture and animal memorabilia. A large wooden bed dominates the stage and is craftily used for a change of scenery in the final scene. Marcus Rice’s music could have played a larger role in scene changes to create a greater sense of atmosphere but was otherwise quite pleasant.

Karp keeps things light however, no matter the dark subject matter. Bobby is never a predator – he’s just a boy struggling with his sexuality. The closest companion to Hayes’ script is Lars von Trier’s 2013 film ‘Nymphomaniac’ (albeit with more laughs). “Sexuality is the strongest force in human beings. To be born with a forbidden sexuality must be agonising,” says Joe in Volume II. We feel for Bobby, despite our best efforts. But this play makes you laugh before making you think. As squeals of disgust and barks of laughter filled the auditorium though, I couldn’t help wondering: aren’t we all just animals anyway?

Reviewed by Joseph Prestwich

Photography by Simon J Webb

Unsung