Since premiering at the Edinburgh Fringe last summer, Worklight Theatre’s Monster has played in Bath and Cornwall, with further tour dates planned following the current run at VAULT Festival.
We are told from the outset this is “a story about a girl and a boy. Some of it is true, some of it isn’t.” We are left to wonder for ourselves which parts of the story are based in reality, but the central character certainly seems to be borne of writer and performer, Joe Sellman-Leava’s own experiences.
Over the course a year-long relationship with an unnamed girl, Joe is also rehearsing a play; it sounds like some kind of Shakespearian mash-up, produced on a shoe-string, but that doesn’t stop the director demanding rigorous research from his cast. Joe chooses the unlikely pairing of Patrick Stewart and Mike Tyson to draw inspiration for his character.
But that pairing soon makes sense; what develops is a taught examination of violence in several forms. Joe melds between his own character, the director, the girl, Stewart and Tyson, never missing a beat. As he embodies both a Shakespearian actor, and a champion, albeit disgraced boxer, it’s not so much impersonations we watch, but a different version of real-life interviews or soundbites.
The fragmented story of Monster questions, exposes even, feminism as much as it does masculinity. We end up with an intense piece of drama which teeters on the line of what is generally accepted, and has us questioning our own beliefs. The lighting design allows the quick transition from one time and place to another, and under the direction of Yaz Al-Shaater the overall production is slick and fast-paced.
A deeply impassioned performance from Joe Sellman-Leava, and his frequent asides, endear him to the audience, leaving us struggling to believe, or perhaps accept, some of the things he tells us. As both writer and performer, Sellman-Leava fully encapsulates the character he portrays and drives the message home with vigour.
Seeing the topic of violence so openly dealt with is what makes this production a compelling watch, the strong performance is an added bonus. At times Monster is deeply disturbing, at others uncomfortably funny, but always completely absorbing.
Photos by Ben Borley
