Review: Lonely, stupid, brutal

“I’m totally hacking you with the comedy virus”

Content warning: blood, suicide, explicit material.

This is probably the most I’ve ever laughed at a Cambridge show. It was so unexpected, so wonderfully strange, so unbelievably strange. Let’s just say I didn’t expect to see a guy sucking a microphone on a random Tuesday night, but I did.

It’s a stand-up comedy show about a man desperate for validation, but it’s also a sketch show and a depiction of a man’s progression from slightly unstable to completely insane. Murder? Current. Silly jokes that the audience loves? Current. Clumsy Samaritan? Current.

Frankie Brownebecause he himself – the main character, the comedian, the narrator, the guy losing his mind before your eyes – was absolutely brilliant. His performance seemed eerily real, from mumbling and stuttering, showing discomfort, to staring at the audience with crazy eyes, desperately waiting for a reaction. His lines were amazing and every joke landed perfectly. The audience loved Frankie; he was so charismatic in his awkwardness and madness.

While Frankie appears to be alone in his madness, it’s not entirely a one-man show – he has actors in his company who sometimes seem real and sometimes seem imaginary. The rest of the cast did an amazing job portraying these characters. Marta Aleksandra he was brilliant. She managed to convey shock, fear, acceptance and despair, all in the same scene. She was the voice of reason taken hostage. The sight of her tied to a chair and Frankie covered in blood performing a skit about a ridiculously expensive babyccino was a surreal image to see on stage, and yet it fit the show perfectly. James Allenas one of the policemen, he gave a wonderful, although short, performance. His one-liners were delivered expertly and, like the rest of the jokes in the show, were a huge hit with the audience. JennyJones because the Samaritan Woman was fantastic and her character was so well written that she was both irrational and yet incredibly in keeping with the logic of the show.

The actors were also some of the creators of the show and I must admit that everyone in the writers’ room is truly talented (Marta Aleksandra, James Allen, Andrew’s house, Helena Brookes, JennyJones, Aidan Sinclair, Frankie Browne). It was a really well-written show and not once was the audience involved, which is really impressive. The transitions from creepy and disturbing to extremely funny and ridiculous were masterful, with exaggeration at appropriate parts. The show was meta without losing its balance. The comedy was performed brilliantly through words, body language, and the juxtaposition of the extremely serious with the absurdly frivolous. All the nuances were thought out – everything was simply beautifully done.

The audience interaction was amazing and the random panto style questions were extremely entertaining. “Isn’t it exciting, boys and girls?” The statement about calling the Samaritans when the hero tried to talk himself out of suicide was certainly surprising. I happen to be reviewing the ADC panto in a few days and I really didn’t expect to see this type of audience interaction in this comedy-horror film, but it was a brilliant addition. And fake interactions with the audience Andrew’s house were some of my favorite parts of the show. Overall, Dom’s performance was fantastic and his chemistry with Frank was amazing.

Image credits: Jenny Jones

This show was exceptionally done and artfully written. The script, actors, lights, music and minimalist set design – all of it worked together flawlessly. From existential crises to jokes about bad eyesight, this show has it all. It’s so unexpected and that’s why it’s so great.

Lonely Stupid Violent was a stunning performance that fully deserved the loud cheers and standing ovation it received from the astonished audience in the Corpus Playroom. I’m a bit disappointed that it’s just a one-night stand and I hope the show will be performed again.

This is a masterpiece.

5/5

On Tuesday, November 26, the album “Lonely Stupid Violent” was performed at the Corpus Playroom.