Adelaide College of the Arts - XSpace. 26 Feb 2012
This is a provocative and disturbing one man show. Irish actor and playwright Neil Watkins' monologue is a hellish story of the inability to form intimate and deep attachments to other people and how this can manifest itself in addiction to pornography and in religious guilt.
Over the course of one hour Watkin’s takes us on a journey (autobiographical?) of drug infused sexual activity that spans Dublin to the seedy bars of Manhattan and Helsinki. Through the confused haze of drugs he seemingly encounters famous icons of the gay world and other celebrities, and the picture of his life that is being painted before us becomes more desperate, lonely and pointless. The descriptions are savage and the language is sordid. He explains that he is in his 33rd year of life, and this was how old Christ was when he was crucified. It is a stimulus for him to seek redemption and overcome personal demons and to truly address the key question of why can’t he lead his life?
This is bleak and challenging theatre, and it is passionately performed by Watkin’s. In a simple tightly defined performance space delineated by piercing white fluorescent lighting and complemented by a moody and unsettling soundscape, Watkins takes us through episodes of an unsettled and troubled life that eventually finds reconciliation.
Kym Clayton
When: 27 Feb to 18 Mar
Where: Adelaide College of the Arts - XSpace
Bookings: www.adelaidefringe.com.au
