[AD – PR invite*]
★★★
English-American writer, comedian and voice actor Alison Larkin is performing a new one woman show ‘Grief… A Comedy’ at the Edinburgh Fringe, sharing her life experiences through a combination of original music, storytelling and impersonation. Accompanied by composer Gary Schreiner at Assembly George Square Studios, the writer takes the audience on a journey through her experiences of life and relationships, finally finding happiness later in life. Rather sadly this was all taken away from her early and these experiences have inspired a new piece of writing about the impact of grief. Drawing on her experience as a voice actor, Alison shares various anecdotes, recreating the voices and personalities of the people she knows and loves.
Impact as a piece of theatre
There is no denying that Alison is a great storyteller, but the pacing of the show feels a little off. Split between whether the material is 10 minutes too long or just lacking in levels, I found myself losing focus in the middle and longing for more range in the structure of the storytelling. It all feels very much on one level and as a result loses impact in terms of the overall presentation of the piece. The performer has clearly poured her heart and soul into the writing and the passion does shine through, but as a piece of theatre, ‘Grief… A Comedy’ feels too understated in its current form.
Use of music
The music is a strength, providing a welcome backdrop to the softly spoken narrative. It keeps the material incredibly classy and elegant, making the show feel like an evening with Alison (just in an afternoon, as it is the Edinburgh Fringe). The audience is also treated to snippets of her lovely singing voice, which has been tastefully slotted into the material in small segments.
Comedy elements
Admittedly I was expecting there to be more comedy in this fusion show and even though it is evident that Alison has a bold and dark sense of humour, with all of the anecdotes and focus on personal story, there is limited opportunity for this to shine through. I found myself wishing that she would reveal more of this side of her personality, taking a step outside of the planned script and leaning more into the humour.
Overall thoughts
‘Alison Larkin: Grief… A Comedy’ is a thoughtful fusion piece of theatre, but in its current form, it feels too precise and perfected, lacking range in the material. That being said, the way the performer talks about grief is really empowering and has the potential to help others currently experiencing loss. Her attitude towards seizing life’s opportunities is infectious. Alison is performing at Assembly George Square Studios – Studio Two until 25th August (excluding 12th and 19th), with performances starting at 14:10 and tickets available via the festival website.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
*My ticket for ‘Alison Larkin: Grief… A Comedy’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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