The Leeds Playhouse – 3rd May 2023
Reviewed by Sal Marino
5*****
Brave and bold, Dunstan Bruce bared his soul and body, which he described as being ‘battered, broken and bruised’, to a packed audience at the Playhouse (Leeds) last night. Reflecting on his life, using a large TV screen to engage in a dialogue with himself, Dunstan pondered on the meaning of his life – our lives – as human beings on this troubled planet. He travelled back in time and faced his once youthful self, the arrogant ego. He wanted to “change the world” then but now, expressed feelings of being ‘stuck’, in a ‘rut’ and consumed with anxiety. Bruce asked, “Why does life do this to us – why are we not thriving?”
Courageously, stripping off at one point, Dunstan stood in front of a large image of his former, younger-self, and confronted his age and present body image (which in my opinion was in fine shape and something he should be proud of!). For someone who had been in the limelight during the late 90s and was on that trajectory of fame and glory, he really put himself out there and exposed his ego, laid himself (literally) bare. That is not easy to do, yet he did it and did it with honesty and authenticity.
Dunstan then shared some footage of young people who have recently voiced their opinions about the unfair things that are happening in the world right now and who are saying, ‘enough is enough’ through their music and protests. Speaking out about this ‘emergency’, the state we are in (which is not a good one), inspired Bruce to then start shouting, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!” As he marched around the venue, I personally think he missed an opportunity to invite the audience to get up and join him – I would have been up for it in a shot and we could have had our own mini revolution right there! I’m sure health and safety rules will probably have not allowed this and it’s not the theatre’s fault, it’s just how we are now – compliant – afraid of our own shadows and seem to need to be told where to sit, how far to stand away from each other, when to laugh, clap and how to live our lives! What have we become? Invisible?
However, there is hope! As Dunstan said (and I agree with him 100%), we can ‘reset’ (and I don’t mean the ‘Great Reset’ we keep hearing about) but we can ‘start again’. As corny as it may sound, we can ‘change’ – we just need to ‘press the button’ and start the process of renewal. We can ‘get back up again’ after being ‘knocked down’! If we dig deep inside ourselves and become braver, we can create a new Earth that is sustainable – built on kindness and love, which is the original design for humankind – not a technological one. The show ended with an over whelming sense of hope and love and so if you’re feeling a little ‘battered and bruised’ with life too, go and see this show because as it unfolds, so will your furrowed brow . You’ll relate to Bruce’s show title banner and ask ‘Am I Invisible yet?’, feel a little disheartened maybe at first but by end of this hour long journey, end up smiling inside and finally come out of the auditorium feeling ready again – to face this world as the brave soul you are and always have been. Thank you Dunstan, your performance was inspiring and I think you have definitely shown that you are ‘not invisible’ and neither am I.