The Bunker 15 May – 3 June. Reviewed by Claire Roderick
Adam Scott-Rowley’s one man show is bloody brilliant. Transferring to The Bunker after wowing audiences at the VAULT Festival, this feels perfect for an underground venue. Performing nude, with his body daubed with white paint, Scott-Rowley does at times resemble the weird cave creatures from The Descent or Gollum having a psychotic break when he brings to life characters that make the inhabitants of Royston Vasey look like they belong in Ballamory.
An aging porn star, one of her fans and his abused wife, a homeless Glaswegian woman desperate to see her children, a Spiritualist lecturer (scolding latecomers creepily in character), a West End producer and others all have satisfyingly strong narrative threads and emotional heft in the short running time.
The storylines cross with increasing pace and erratic rhythm keeping the audience on edge and ricocheting between laughter and nervous silence, with the lighting and sound design racking up the tension brilliantly. There are surreal, playful and moving moments interspersed between uncomfortable and brutal events, with Scott-Rowley transforming himself physically and vocally in an astounding performance.
The dark and grotesque humour isn’t for everyone, and there are some WTF moments that are deeply disconcerting. This is a show that leaves the audience shell shocked and euphoric – a rollercoaster theatrical experience that is not for the faint-hearted, but one that is unforgettable.