Ronlin Foreman has had a long standing career in Physical Comedy. This evening Foreman displayed his talents in his one-man show ‘Excess Baggage’. Developed from his previous touring play, Pigeon Show, Foreman adapted the works from the piece to be able to manage this smaller-scale production. Currently on a UK tour, the next showing is on Wednesday 28th November at the University of Chester.
A very warm, smiling figure begins the play with an accordion. Laughing between words, he went on to detail how we have come to see a show not a play, a fool not an actor. What we are about to witness is not a narrative but a series of experiences, he describes. This character was hard to follow, and the laughing made it hard to hear the words. During this sequence, I was unsure as to what exactly I was watching as the story was difficult to make sense from. The laughter in the audience confused me at first, were they seeing something I wasn’t?
After a while, I could see the minimal staging clearly – a privacy screen with a costume box, and a chair at the side. The privacy screen’s presence is ironic, as Foreman happily changes on stage during the acts, serving to tell us not to be presumptuous about this piece and that there are many surprises in store for us.
From someone who has never experienced Physical Comedy before, I began apprehensive but was quickly won over by Foreman. What followed next was a fantastic display of creativity. The show is a collection of previous works spanning the past 40 years. Comprised of 5 main acts, including a bizarre rendition of Madam Butterfly, a sweet lovable clown with his banana, and a Grotesque man consumed by his fear of maggots, each act was introduced by Foreman with the history behind each one. By the end of the 60 minute showcase, the divide between audience and performer was gone. We had been taken on a journey through the highlights of his life as a performer, whilst all the time getting to know the man behind the red nose and the masks.
Foreman playfully toys with the ideas of tragedy and comedy, merging them as one throughout the performance. The message is clear, that these two things are necessary for life, and have a clear impact on Foreman’s creative process.
The physical control displayed in the performances was impressive for the 66 year old, who kept mentioning that he was very glad to not have died during the show. Whether this was an intentional aside or from legitimate exhaustion, I was thoroughly amazed by the ability he exhibited on stage. From elegant dance sequences, to contorting his face and body in crazy manners, we witnessed the sole reason as to why this man has had such a long-running career.
This is a must-see for anyone interested in Physical Comedy, and also an incredibly enjoyable watch for those who have never experienced the likes of it before.
Reviewer - Jasmine Tovey
on - 26/11/18
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