Patient 13 theatre review: Chatty, scattered storytelling
Gail Thomas is enigmatic and expressive, but unevenly merges theatre and comedy in a whirlwind set
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There’s no doubt that Gail Thomas is a talented storyteller. She’s captivating, with facial expressions made for great comic delivery. However, for all its vulnerability and courage, Patient 13 feels more like a series of entertaining anecdotes recounted down the pub than polished theatre.
It’s surprisingly funny for a show predominantly about cancer treatment, with a few genuinely laugh-out-loud moments and gasps as Thomas recounts the reactions of unsupportive boyfriend Wes to her diagnosis and symptoms. This doesn’t feel like a passive watch (Thomas gets out into the audience, looking members dead in the eye) but some of the bigger punchlines get lost as she delivers them to the back of the room.
Patient 13 straddles the boundary of comedy and theatre without quite hitting its mark: not quite funny enough to be stand-up, but not structured enough to feel completely like a one-woman theatre show.
Patient 13, Zoo Playground, until 30 August, 2.20pm; picture: David Haverty.