It’s a brave performer who does a solo theatre show at 11.45pm during Edinburgh Fringe, but the crowds didn’t seem to be deterred for the late night This Is Not Culturally Significant at The Gilded Balloon at The Museum.
Brave is a good word to use for performer Adam Scott-Rowley, because he is completely nude for his entire performance, just the odd smattering of white paint, which goes no way whatsoever to cover his modesty. But, this performance is revealing in more ways than one, it explores human nature in all of its bizarre and eccentric glory.
Adam Scott-Rowley plays a number of different characters throughout the performance and switches back and forth between them. He does this with incredible ingenuity as each vignette blends perfectly into the next, and sometimes overlap. Each character is completely unique despite the lack of costumes to help Scott-Rowley out. Each one has its own affectations, from the abusive relationship to the Tory-voting racist, they all seem absurd but strangely familiar.
The whole thing is mesmerising, as Scott-Rowley moves around the stage with complete precision. Full of energy; he goes from bent double as a homeless woman to standing tall and proud in a gay club without missing a beat. This Is Not Culturally Significant is darkly comic in places, and heart-breaking in others.
Some of the scenes are difficult to watch because they are so emotive, but you find yourself unable to look away, there is real passion in this performance and with only a stool and lamp on stage, still manages to look stunning.
That large crowd may have turned up for the nude man, but they loved This Is Not Culturally Significant for its powerhouse performance and emotive storytelling, from a truly talented and exhilarating performer.
