It started with Bach, as these things often do. Cellist and performer Karen Hall has come over from her native Los Angeles to deliver a unique entertainment, which is part classical solo cello recital, but mostly neurotic and chaotic comedic rant. Not that the rant isn't grounded and based on rational thoughts and facts - it is; which of course makes it much more interesting and humorous than if it were just nonsense. It also makes it much more relatable too. I am not a cellist, but I am a musician with a love of classical music, and so much of what she told of her struggles resonated on a more personal level too.
Her unique start was siting there eating a sandwich simply chatting to us as friends - a lovely idea which helped both audience and performer to create a more solid bond before she started waving her arms and screaming like a lunatic! The ending was also something very different too - and her 60 minute monologue / concert was excellently thought through.
Her love / hate relationship with the cello came through, as well as did her grievances about learning it and having nothing else to fall back on - except when she was younger she was hired for her looks and body rather than her talent. A route that sadly far to many fall victim too. However unless that was the moment of her unhinging, it does not seem to have overly affected her fortunately. Apparently the human brain will forget up to 80% of everything we have seen and heard within 24 hours, and it takes 10,000 hours to master something completely. Two small facts which I learnt (and did not forget!) during her show. Hall flirts seamlessly from rational to neurotic in the blink of an eye, all intertwined with personal anecdote and Bach's cello music.
Clever, memorable, and unique.
Reviewer - Alastair Zyggu
on - 19.7.25
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