Presented by The Misery Children
Reviewed 15 February 2015
David Geddes’ Him is an almost painfully honest and heart wrenching performance marked by its originality and full frontal nudity.
Geddes, writer/director/actor, doesn’t just bare all of his skin, but all of his soul in this show, held in a dark and intimate tent in the middle of the bustling Royal Croquet Club. Normally, you don’t take much notice of the venue’s impact on the play you’re watching, but in this case the short distance between actor and audience adds enormously to the performance. It creates a certain type of fear in the crowd as well as understanding and empathy.
Him is the exploration of oneself that we must all go through at some stage. It is an immersive look into the life of a man struggling to find himself in this wide, crazy world. Geddes constantly quizzes the crowd about their own lives and loves, even looking into their eyes to read what they’re thinking. This level of interaction with the audience makes Him quite a shocking experience, but one that I think is definitely something to put yourself through.
Geddes is a powerful and charismatic performer. In fact, in parts of the performance it is hard to tell he’s acting at all. The direction from Daisy Brown has obviously helped him get the most out of his movement and vocals. These things can’t be perfect, however. There were some points, particularly at the start of the show, when Geddes seemed to leave things hanging in an awkward space for the briefest of seconds.
Despite this, Him is a totally spellbinding show, even if it is a little challenging. Just… maybe don’t take the kids.
Reviewed by James Rudd
Rating out of 5: 3
Venue: The Rastelli – Royal Croquet Club, Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga, Adelaide
Season: 14 February – 6 March 2015
Duration: 45 minutes
Tickets: $18 – $22
Bookings: Book through FringeTix online or at a FringeTix box office (booking fees apply)
More News
