Our UK Sober Curator, Eve Michell, was invited to watch a preview of Shower Chair. Written and performed by Ben Fallaci, the solo performance orbits around the eponymous shower chair set in the middle of the stage, a device the audience later learns is necessary as the narrator has a broken ankle. Here’s what Eve thought…
Ben Fallaci’s one-man comedy show, Shower Chair, presents a bold, vulnerable, and frequently hilarious exploration of a life shaped by the unique milieu of Cape Cod – and the people who party there. This autobiographical performance bravely enacts the trials of growing up as a gay person in one of “the oldest, whitest” (read: homophobic and classist) places in America, the allure and peril of a party-centric identity, and the painful losses that accompany substance abuse.
Fallaci’s ability to infuse humour into the often-tragic narrative of his formative years is a delight. His brilliant impressions of his friends, frenemies, and imaginary counterpart Sybil aroused hysterical laughter from the intimate audience. Gathered together in a basement Soho, we were brought along for a cyclical ride that took us from his shower chair through his troubled adolescent and young adult life and back. Peppered with a good bout of physical comedy – hello, white girl wasted dancing – and on-set costume changes, Fallaci told the story of going too deep and his efforts to swim back up to the surface.
Themes of drug and alcohol abuse, questionable sexual experiences, and toxic friendships make for a wild ride that is, in parts, painful and, in (many) other parts, ridiculously amusing. That contrast makes it all the more enjoyable. Fallaci faced no challenge in getting laughs out of the audience, nor did he struggle to draw out rounds of applause that were powerful despite the lucky yet small audience that got to watch him rehearse.
While the show is undeniably funny and brave in its candidness, it remained a work in progress at the time of my viewing. The play will benefit from more rehearsals and finessing before it takes the stage at the Edinburgh Fringe, but that’s part and parcel of watching a preview. However, this rawness also contributed to its authenticity, allowing the audience to feel the raw emotions and personal journey that Fallaci is sharing, as though we were part of his evolving journey.
Shower Chair is a testament to Fallaci’s great potential as a storyteller. His ability to tackle serious subjects with levity and vulnerability is impressive. With further refinement, this show promises to be a standout piece that evokes both gasps and laughs from many audiences to come. The anticipation for its future performances is palpable.
Follow Shower Chair on IG @showerchairplay
Preview Rating: 3.5 Sobees
GET TICKETS to Shower Chair at the Edinburgh Fringe from August 2nd through August 24th, 2024
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