Pleasance Theatre Archives - Page 17 of 28

★★★★

“As much as it humorously reflects on the past, this is very much a story for the now”

It’s about that time when the crème de la crème from this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe get invited to bring their show down for a London showcase. The Pleasance London venue is one such place. With a whole season of Ed Fringe triumphs coming up, Wound Up Theatre is one of the lucky few to perform again their effervescent show, It’ll Be Alt-Right On The Night. Like a pocket rocket, Matthew Greenhough moves through this (almost) one man show with velocity. With Northern charm and thought-provoking debate, this timely show is as urgent in its delivery as it is an essential illustration of today.

Greeny and Stevo have been faithful friends who’ve known each other for years. From their Sheffield school days in the late 90’s, to being angst-filled Punks living in squats and drinking nothing but Buckfast in the early 00’s. These lads have been side by side through many ups and downs. But the world has changed since those days. Hell, they’ve changed also. One’s moved to London and is a Liberal Lefty, with a cushy ‘media’ job, drinking £6 pints, whilst the other is stuck in their hometown and is downright angry at the world. As they meet up for the first time in a very long time, can they still find common ground, or will their political and social differences drive an ever-growing wedge further between them?

Greenhough is truly electric, completely wired for the 60 minute performance, hopping about the stage between the personas of Greeny and Stevo. In what appears to be a partly auto-biographical tale (Greenhough/Greeny? Too much of a coincidence?) the anecdotal nature of this non-chronological piece feels naturally told, as if coming from the top of Greenhough’s head in fragments. Although nothing really new or ground breaking is mentioned on the matter of the UK’s current fractious political divide, the beliefs of the far right and left are clearly depicted, but even these can sometimes border on the stereotypical. That being said, Stevo’s idea of ‘Conservatism is the new Punk Rock’, is certainly food for thought.

The eye-catching use of vinyl records on the floor and Steven Wright in the corner playing brilliant Jazz-Punk mash-ups on the trumpet between scene transitions, helps to reaffirm that music is the powerful bond between these two friends. However, even music struggles to finds its way as a unifier, as their ideological disparities prove to run deep.

As rough and ready as the performance feels, just like the astringent, unpolished Punk that the guys listen to, it all adds to this play’s appeal. It’s an intense experience to sit through, moving at a supersonic pace, but it hits the nail on the head on modern day life. As much as it humorously reflects on the past, this is very much a story for the now, with a serious message beneath.

Reviewed by Phoebe Cole

Midlife Cowboy