I don’t know what to say about Red Bastard.
OK, that’s a lie.
Which is precisely the point of Eric Davis’ Red Bastard: Lie With Me, surely to be one of the most talked-about shows at this year’s London Fringe.
What Davis wants to know and explore is the question: What are the rules of love?
If you go What: Red Bastard: Lie With Me, directed by Aitor Basauri, written by Eric Davis and Aitor Basauri, performed by Eric Davis. When: Thursday, 8:30 p.m., Monday, 5 p.m., Wednesday 8:30 p.m., June 7, 5 p.m. and June 9, 8 p.m. Where: The Grand Theatre’s McManus Stage, 471 Richmond St. Tickets: $15.
Davis starts the show by establishing it as fact that we all lie.
True? Yes, we do.
He first asks the audience to stand, then asks a series of questions, well, a few well-chosen ones.
“What are the good lies you’ve told lately?” he asks. “Perhaps to your boss, a friend, or maybe a member of your family? Or, maybe someone right here?”
Davis tells the audience to sit down when he mentions a lie they’ve told in their lives. It doesn’t take long until none are left standing, the majority sitting again when he asks if they’ve actually read all the terms and conditions of all those agreements you’ve entered online.
“To live is to lie,” says Davis and the show is launched.
Davis feeds on lies like a glutton, taunting the audience, poking and prodding until he finds a thread to follow, the expected and the unexpected, which lead to some great laughs, even if a few are uncomfortable.
This is a marvelous show, if only because Davis is a wonderful performer, quickly reading and reacting to his audience, seldom being stumped and even feeding off those moments until another lie is exposed.
He slips beautifully between being someone you might consider normal and that red thing on your shoulder that whispers those hidden truths in your ear, urging you to do what you know is wrong until you’re constantly worrying that bone and challenging your sense of right and wrong.
He’s at one moment gentle and understanding; at another, a creepy, smarmy, greasy and wicked pervert.
There’s some wonderful audience interaction and all of it high risk, which really makes this show so compelling.
Davis is a consummate performer, one who will make you feel uncomfortable yet comfortable enough to make you laugh about your own discomfort.
This is a great show, one that should not be missed; a show that raises a simple question and explores its difficult truths.
jbelanger@postmedia.com
FRINGE
If you go
What: The 19th annual London Fringe Festival, featuring 46 companies of actors, dancers, magicians and others
Where: Venues in downtown London and Old East Village
When: Performances through June 9.
Tickets and information: For info about tickets, passes, prices, venues, events and shows, visit londonfringe.ca or the Fringe office at 207 King St., or call 519-434-0606.
I don’t know what to say about Red Bastard.OK, that’s a lie.Which is precisely the point of Eric Davis’ Red Bastard: Lie With Me, surely to be one of the most talked-about shows at this year’s London Fringe.
I don’t know what to say about Red Bastard OK that’s a lie Which is precisely the point of Eric Davis’ Red Bastard Lie With Me surely to be one of the most talked-about shows at this year’s London Fringe What Davis wants to know and explore is the question What are the rules of love If you go What Red Bastard Lie With Me directed by Aitor Basauri written by Eric Davis and Aitor Basauri performed by Eric Davis When Thursday, 8:30 p.m. Monday, 5 p.m. Wednesday 8:30 p.m. June 7 5 p.m. and June 9 8 p.m. Where The Grand Theatre’s McManus Stage 471 Richmond St. Tickets $15 Davis starts the show by establishing it as fact that we all lie True Yes we do He first asks the audience to stand then asks a series of questions well a few well-chosen ones What are the good lies you’ve told lately he asks Perhaps to your boss a friend or maybe a member of your family Or maybe someone right here Davis tells the audience to sit down when he mentions a lie they’ve told in their lives It doesn’t take long until none are left standing the majority sitting again when he asks if they’ve actually read all the terms and conditions of all those agreements you’ve entered online To live is to lie says Davis and the show is launched Davis feeds on lies like a glutton taunting the audience poking and prodding until he finds a thread to follow the expected and the unexpected which lead to some great laughs even if a few are uncomfortable This is a marvelous show if only because Davis is a wonderful performer quickly reading and reacting to his audience seldom being stumped and even feeding off those moments until another lie is exposed He slips beautifully between being someone you might consider normal and that red thing on your shoulder that whispers those hidden truths in your ear urging you to do what you know is wrong until you’re constantly worrying that bone and challenging your sense of right and wrong He’s at one moment gentle and understanding at another a creepy smarmy greasy and wicked pervert There’s some wonderful audience interaction and all of it high risk which really makes this show so compelling Davis is a consummate performer one who will make you feel uncomfortable yet comfortable enough to make you laugh about your own discomfort This is a great show one that should not be missed a show that raises a simple question and explores its difficult truths jbelanger@postmedia.com FRINGE If you go What The 19th annual London Fringe Festival featuring 46 companies of actors dancers magicians and others Where Venues in downtown London and Old East Village When Performances through June 9 Tickets and information For info about tickets passes prices venues events and shows visit londonfringe.ca or the Fringe office at 207 King St. or call 519-434-0606