Created and curated by Brian Lobel, Binge is an invitation to escape the raucous of every day life with a temporary collective TV binge in bed with a stranger...
This was my first time reviewing at Home Theatre Manchester and I'm so glad it was Brian Lobel's 'Binge', Home is the perfect space for this production, the intimate bedroom vibe of the piece was well matched to this venue's ambience, the outside world indeed was forgotten in this cocoon of a theatre.
'Binge' is running at HOME, Manchester 24 - 26th of May, I was lucky to jump in on the 24th not long after its opening. On my way to the theatre I shared the tram with a group of unhappy homeless people and passed through a demonstration of young people against climate change. Upon escaping the vibrancy of Manchester and arriving at the gallery space I was welcomed by the immediately appealing and charismatic Brian Lobel. The chaos melted away as Lobel introduced himself and the piece and began by asking about mine and my friend's favourite current guilty TV pleasures. We were then issued with lengthy questionnaires chosen by Lobel to match our tastes, then we were given comfy dressing gowns and encouraged to relax in a lounge area with snacks and drinks while we filled in our questionnaires and contemplated our mindsets, preluded by Lobel explaining we would get the best out of this experience if we were more mentally prepared.
After having been given enough time to decompress we were led into the performance space, around half a dozen beds evenly spaced out, with performers lounging demurely in their pjs and dressing gowns in their draped across them. Some artistes were deep in conversation with audience members, others chilled and binging for themselves on laptops. It felt almost intrusive to look directly at another's 'bed space' like peering into another's natural alone state. We were introduced to our artiste and left to climb into bed with him.
I had the joy of knowing my artiste, Andy Pilkington, and was greeted with a hug and immediately reclined into the pillows and satin sheets ready to be enjoying the experience, I'd be intrigued to go again with a total stranger and see whether the experience is as effectively uninhibiting.
After an intimate introduction to Pilkington and his choice of show, 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' there was a time of reflection about how we had answered our questionnaires, which Pilkington skilfully pushed us just that little further to contemplate our selves, our mindsets, past experiences and then prescribed episodes of 'Buffy' for us to go away with and muse on. The episodes prescribed were reflective of the session we had just gone through, themed on the subjects we had spoken about with Pilkington. His knowledge of 'Buffy' and ability to analyse himself and others referencing relative aspects from the show was immensely impressive and left one with a pool of material to leave contemplating over.
'Binge' is an adaptation of Lobel's performance 'You Have To Forgive Me, You Have To Forgive ME, You Have To Forgive Me,' where similarly he prescribed audience members with episodes of 'Sex In The City' that would change their lives. The challenge he explains in the programme was 'the feel of lack of diversity' with the one person show, this is not he case with 'Binge'. I was totally engaged with my artiste, but my subconscious was totally aware that others were having a slightly different experience from me just across in a different bed, others were led off into different spaces. I was excited and intrigued to know what others had been through and left feeling I'd had a very unique touching experience, rejuvenated and ready to dive back into the hustle of Manchester life.
If the purpose of Art is to move it's audience with skill of technique, Lobel is delightful master of his realm, I would highly recommend this to people with an interest in performance and to those searching for a genuinely refreshing experience.
Reviewer - Kerry Ely
on - 24/5/19
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