Showing @ Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh until Mon 25 Aug (not 11, 18) @ 17:35
Alcoholic lead characters are now pretty cliché but Fellswoop Theatre present this beat generation style story in such a way the familiar drunken dishevelment of the protagonist exudes a certain nostalgic allure. An unnamed barman talks through the various dissatisfactions of his life: a boss he hates, a strained relationship with his wife, dubious friendships and a job that is killing him.
Despite being performed on an empty stage, it’s easy to be transported into the story because of terrific colour in the script’s language. This is also partly down to the skilful mutli-roling of the two other performers, whose efficiency in embodying their plethora of roles, through defined physicality and humorous but not comical accents, gives the narrative a sense of continually refreshing itself. A live country and western style underscoring enhances the wistful atmosphere, and husky vocal harmonies give it an almost mythic quality, added to by the lead’s namelessness. It’s like the show is a forgotten memory. The title suggests a cleansing, restorative soaking away of immorality but is ambiguous enough to allow for the possibility of a different kind of liquid morning routine. Although the story isn’t particularly original, all these elements keep you invested in the story enough to provoke sympathies for this wretched anti-hero.