Latest

Fringe Review: Fake It ‘til You Make It

The real-life love story of how a couple deal with the fact that one of them has clinical depression, told through comedy, song, dance and recordings.

Fringe2015-FakeItPresented by Theatre Works
Reviewed 15 February 2015

Fake It ‘tTil You Make It is one of several UK shows on offer at the Royal Croquet Club this Fringe season.

It recounts the real life love story between actors Bryony Kimmings and Tim Grayburn. The couple described themselves as romantics who really loved the film Dumb and Dumber. However, theirs is no simple romance. The show explains how they dealt with Grayburn’s clinical depression. They decided to create the show after Robin Williams’ death in 2014, to promote awareness for mental illness in their own way.

While Kimmings is a performance artist by trade, until recently Grayburn was an account manager at a top advertising firm in London. He resigned his job in order to spend a year touring with Fake It ‘til You Make It.

Kimmings narrated their relationship in a self-conscious, comedic style. Intercut with the live action are recordings of the couple discussing their experiences with Grayburn’s depression, played for the audience on a music box. To combat these sombre exchanges the couple perform varying physical comedies, including dance sequences, passionate embraces and original, poignant songs. These include such beauties as Don’t Make Me Go to the Doctor and Under the Duvet.

Grayburn wore a series of masks to avoid making eye contact with the audience until they reached the point in their narrative when he actively tackled his depression. After this, he directly addressed the crowd about the need to remove social stigma from mental illness. His performance took great courage and was fiercely emotive.

Fake It ‘til You Make It is a romance, a drama, a farce, and a call to arms. It is genuinely touching, more tender than the usual Fringe offering. It is sure to be one of the gems of 2015. Those who have personal experience with depression will especially connect with the piece.

Reviewed by Nicola Woolford

Rating out of 5:  5

Venue: Royal Croquet Club – The Black Box, Victoria Square, Adelaide
Season:
14 February – 15 March 2015
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $20.00 – $30.00
Bookings: Book through FringeTix online or at a FringeTix box office (booking fees apply)

 

More News

To Top