It hit 33 degrees in London yesterday and it was at least that in the tiny Etcetera Theatre above the Oxford Arms on Camden High Street as my sister and I took our seats last night to watch Richard Fry perform his one man show, Ballad of the Unbeatable Hearts.
There couldn't have been more than 30 people on the four tiered rows and the house was full. We waited for the performance to begin, quietly leaking onto the floor and breathing a collective sigh of relief as a creaky air conditioning unit kicked into life.
Fry appeared on stage, perspiring in a suit. He stood holding an A4 notebook next to a plastic chair, the only prop, and the lights dimmed. My heart sank as he opened with a rhyme. "Perhaps it's just a gimmick to start the show," I thought. It wasn't. The whole performance was rhymed and it worked exceptionally well.
He told the story of a 16 year old boy who survived a suicide attempt and transmuted the trauma of his experience by forming a group with other suicide survivors, the Unbeatable Hearts, which went on to affect massive positive change in the world.
The gags were unashamedly obvious and enjoyable because Fry was not trying to be too clever. His delivery was powerful and heartfelt, captivating my attention completely in the small room. He switched seamlessly between characters, building a believable cast of protagonists around the central role of John Wayne, the original survivor.
In the story, the influence of the Unbeatable Hearts grows and they gain more and more followers. The tale of their do gooding around the world continued and I began to get bored. Just as I was beginning to drift, Fry launched into the overwhelming ending. The unexpected twist took the wind out of me like a blow to the stomach.
"Are you crying?" asked my sister.
"No! It's sweat," I replied.
Camden Fringe is running until 25 August at venues all over Camden. Good entertainment for cheap monies. Check it out http://www.camdenfringe.com/
There couldn't have been more than 30 people on the four tiered rows and the house was full. We waited for the performance to begin, quietly leaking onto the floor and breathing a collective sigh of relief as a creaky air conditioning unit kicked into life.
Fry appeared on stage, perspiring in a suit. He stood holding an A4 notebook next to a plastic chair, the only prop, and the lights dimmed. My heart sank as he opened with a rhyme. "Perhaps it's just a gimmick to start the show," I thought. It wasn't. The whole performance was rhymed and it worked exceptionally well.
He told the story of a 16 year old boy who survived a suicide attempt and transmuted the trauma of his experience by forming a group with other suicide survivors, the Unbeatable Hearts, which went on to affect massive positive change in the world.
The gags were unashamedly obvious and enjoyable because Fry was not trying to be too clever. His delivery was powerful and heartfelt, captivating my attention completely in the small room. He switched seamlessly between characters, building a believable cast of protagonists around the central role of John Wayne, the original survivor.
In the story, the influence of the Unbeatable Hearts grows and they gain more and more followers. The tale of their do gooding around the world continued and I began to get bored. Just as I was beginning to drift, Fry launched into the overwhelming ending. The unexpected twist took the wind out of me like a blow to the stomach.
"Are you crying?" asked my sister.
"No! It's sweat," I replied.
Camden Fringe is running until 25 August at venues all over Camden. Good entertainment for cheap monies. Check it out http://www.camdenfringe.com/
