A single chair, an actor playing thirty characters, one astonishing performance. We were not in Waterside Arts Centre anymore, we were in Shadow City. A city with lots of activity occurring, and not necessarily the good kind. One thing was for sure, we were in for a hell of a ride.
This just in... Detective Jay Walker is dead. Authorities say there are zero leads in a case colder than ice. His ex-partner Patrick ‘Nobody-calls-me-Patrick’ Wolf is stepping in to bust some imaginary heads and find out who killed him. Following sell-out performances at the Edinburgh Fringe (and from tonight's show I can see why), Lewis Doherty zooms around the UK on a tour with his debut show. The writer and performer, with his body and voice, brings to life this ultra fast paced comedy with car chases and ferocious fights. There is no set but with the assistance of colourful stage lighting and our imaginations, we can visualise a cityscape with a cyberpunk aesthetic. This a comedy that lovingly mocks the conventions of action films and cop TV shows. Wolf was directed by John Hoggarth.
Doherty was like a little kid in a playground. His performance was the absolute highlight of this event - no doubt about it. Apart from the engrossing background music and sound effects, every sound was created with Doherty's mouth. I'm not just talking about speech, I'm referring to sounds like: the screeching of car tyres on the road, the interference on the Police radio, and the impact of a punch. This wasn't done haphazardly, the live sound effects were refined, practiced, and it was clear what he was trying to imitate. There was almost a beatboxing quality to it. He demonstrated vocal versatility with a wide range.
There were times during the performance where I was sitting there gobsmacked; thinking his performance was unbelievable. This was a masterclass comedy performance where his energy was controlled and every single action and gesture was precise. The same can be said about his comedy timing. The more committed he was to being serious, the funnier the show was. Characters and his impressions were based around stereotypes, each one different from the last. He switched from one person to another with clarity and ease, never slacking. This was one man trying to create a cinematic experience and he killed it. Props like the chair and the red and white LED lights worn on his hand were employed cleverley and creatively, with mesmerising results.
The kind of humour which refers to random moments of narrative within media like film and TV has trended in recent years. It's this contemporary comedy that made the show so funny and compelling. However, it's Doherty's talent and performance which stole the show. This comedy play offered pure fun, joy, and escapism. What more could you ask for? Exceptionally hilarious. You can't afford to miss this.
Reviewer - Sam Lowe
on - 28/2/19
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