Following on from the success of F**king Legend, artistic Olly Hawes returns together with his new one man present, Outdated Fats F**okay Up, a present that addresses poisonous masculinity, fatherhood, and feeling unfulfilled as you attain center age.
Outdated Fats F**okay Up tells the story of a center age father of two, with a 3rd youngster on the way in which. He’s exhausted, buckling beneath crippling monetary strain, and simply needs to have the ability to take pleasure in a wee in peace with out 1,000,000 questions from his youngsters. Olly is fast to emphasize that it is a work of fiction however later reveals that components are part-autobiographical.
All through the efficiency, we see his frustration and turmoil develop because the complexities of recent life take its toll, particularly when he and his household pluck up the braveness to go to his mother and father to see in the event that they’ll lend him cash to allow them to keep of their tiny flat. A collection of occasions unfold, culminating within the man committing an act of violence towards his son, resulting in immense guilt from the person’s perspective.
The setting for this efficiency may be very stripped again, with Olly, wearing blood-soaked clothes, parading forwards and backwards alongside a catwalk-style stage with the viewers sat on both facet. There’s no massive manufacturing factor right here, and the performer narrates all through as if we had been watching a six-part Netflix collection.
Olly is undoubtedly an emotive and charming storyteller, and at time it actually does really feel as if we’re watching that extremely wanted Netflix collection. He vividly paints the scene, describing every location and the occasions happening. He additionally has a novel fashion of efficiency, combining storytelling with confession and stand-up, however this could generally confuse the message he’s attempting to get throughout.
The present is a component comedic however principally darkish, and at instances extremely unsettling. While the manufacturing is extremely gripping in locations, it falls a bit of flat elsewhere. There’s a specific scene the place Olly is on the pub with a buddy, and envisions the kind of dialog that he want to have, the place he says goodbye to poisonous masculinity and really opens up about what’s bothering him. Nonetheless, what really transpires is him persevering with to bottle up his emotions.
This leads right into a scene the place Olly has seemingly turned his life round – he’s misplaced weight, gained that Netflix collection, and is making massive bucks. Nonetheless, it’s quickly unveiled that that is all a part of a really bizarre intercourse dream (which additionally entails AOC – USA politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez), and we’re left sat taking a look at Olly in his underwear, full with a prosthetic hanging out. While this made the viewers chuckle, personally it felt like a ‘shock issue’ factor for the sake of it, fairly than efficiently conveying a message.
Outdated Fats F**okay Up covers some extremely necessary themes, particularly this present day, and while there have been components which had been really participating and thought scary, it didn’t fairly hit the mark general. The pub scene might have been a pivotal turning level on this piece and maybe ought to have ended there (albeit with a barely totally different consequence).
What must be famous is that Olly is certainly a really courageous performer, and infrequently chilling in his depiction of a person who is actually at his wits finish. Switching between utilizing a mic and never is a really efficient means of showcasing totally different characters and feelings, and he does this effortlessly. There have been instances the place watching his frustration construct up was really breathtaking. While it’s not good (however then once more, what in life is?), Outdated Fats F**okay Up undoubtedly sparks an uncomfortable but necessary dialog round poisonous masculinity.
Outdated Fats F**okay Up will probably be at Riverside Studios over 25 performances till twentieth December – remaining tickets out there right here. Olly’s authentic present F**king Legend can even be enjoying for a restricted variety of exhibits – test dates and availability right here.
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Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in alternate for an trustworthy overview
Content material warnings: Sturdy language, sexual references, descriptions of violence, dialogue of psychological well being, and the usage of grownup and bodily prosthetics
