The Event theatre review: Metatheatrical musings
Mike McShane contemplates the power of live performance and the value of the arts in a quietly reflective but under-developed hour
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‘I’m just gonna stand here speaking the whole time,’ warns Mike McShane, sincerely offering the audience the chance to vacate the theatre, no questions asked. ‘It’s some sort of artsy, meta thing,’ he adds. To McShane’s credit, he is spot on. Across the following hour, the veteran actor dissects the notion of the stage show, paying no respect to the fourth wall as he ponders those reasons why we, as a species, are drawn to the art of live performance.
A career actor, McShane made his name on 80s TV hit Whose Line Is It Anyway? and has been something of a journeyman ever since, racking up appearances in various productions across television and stage. It’s clear that he knows his way around an auditorium and the septuagenarian looks entirely comfortable holding court in one of the Fringe’s many unassuming, makeshift theatres. Using the concealed identity of a stagehand waiting in the wings and a technician lurking in the back row, McShane asks his audience to investigate how they think about art and the conclusions they jump to while sitting in rooms like this one.
Though it contains some interesting thoughts about the way social contracts have changed in the 21st century, The Event largely fails to make a lasting impact. It’s always a privilege to share an intimate space with an actor as accomplished as McShane, but the understated nature of all this means you get to see very little of his special acting talents.
The Event, Pleasance Courtyard, until 31 August, 12.30pm; picture: Steve Ullathorne.