OBSERVER: Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen
“I’m 36, I’m a comedian, and I’m about to kill my boyfriend”, is in fact, a killer opening line from Samuel Barnett, portraying a single, neurotic, gay, stand-up comedian.
The celebrity-scattered Opening Night audience at the Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, was with Barnett all the way, laughing heartily – though silenced by moments of pathos – throughout his hilarious and often poignant, fast-paced, 70-minute monologue.
Barnett’s character (unnamed), recounts meeting ‘Zack’ (he thinks that’s his name), an American adonis, with whom he falls in love for the first time.
He deals with lack of confidence, terrifying vulnerability and fear of commitment. In between meetings with Zack, he relates thrilling but meaningless encounters with other men.
Interludes with Michael, with whom he is ‘in lust’, are interspersed; a delightful story involving sushi cannot be repeated here.
He constantly apologises to Zack, in awe of his gorgeous looks. Zack’s apparent perfection creates feelings of unworthiness, resulting in some (graphically described) self-destructive behaviour.
As the relationship progresses, Zack is tentatively invited along to watch his new boyfriend onstage.
Alarmingly, though Zack smiles readily, displaying his dazzlingly white choppers, nary a laugh is forthcoming. This is both puzzling and disturbing to our hero and his efforts to make Zack laugh, become obsessive.
A series of revealing and uproarious vignettes provided a thoroughly absorbing narrative, as earnest attempts to sabotage his burgeoning relationship, give way finally, to acceptance of Zack’s love.
The last scene is uproarious, utilising a slap-stick description to provide an immensely satisfying conclusion.
‘Scene changes’ were defined by lighting and stage movements. Dropping the mike momentarily, signified the character being ‘himself’ without the superficial, self-deprecating humour of the comedian’s persona.
Samuel Barnett’s formidable CV includes Dirk Gently (Netflix), Tony and Olivier nominations and major roles on stage and screen. His performance in this show, written by Marcelo dos Santos (Lion Boy) and directed by Matthew Xia (Blue/Orange), was simply stellar.
Review by Juliet Charles