SERIOUSLY

EWOK engages with you in constant internal dialogue by holding your interest and an uncertain fear of what the performer will do next! (Review by Viresh Prahalath)

Seriously is invigorating autobiographical in that it offers us an entertaining experience of the life of Iain EWOK Robinson as well as an exploration of his widely popular passion, hip hop. It is both humorous and engaging and does a good job of showcasing the artist’s undeniable talent.

The action starts with EWOK meeting a former classmate who finds it amusing that he is a rapper. “Like Snoop Dog?” his friend asks, much to the amusement of the audience. This humorous scene, played out with little puppets, serves well to open out the dialogue about his unique identity and life experience which is unravelled during the course of the show.

EWOK takes us through his experiences during his schooling career as the “fat guy” who is always accused of “trying to be clever”. His re-creation of the schooling environment is remarkably authentic, funny and awfully familiar. Who could not relate to a student stealing bits of lunch from the inside of his desk during class, only to end up a bit peckish at lunch time?

Seriously cannot be described as a conventional cathartic theatre event, instead it engages with you in constant internal dialogue by holding your interest and an uncertain fear of what the performer will do next. Added to this are his sudden character changes and spurts of unexpected humour, a great combination of skills and tactics that work well to keep you on your toes.

The show does edge into controversy at times with his use of language. However, this is well handled and springs out of usually well thought-out context from this experienced wordsmith. One should not simply assume that EWOK is being controversial just for the sake of it. His effort to enlighten us that hip hop is not necessarily about people-bashing and in-your-face attitude but exists as a tool for expression and inciting thought is admirable and real.

The set in the intimate theatre space of The Loft is minimal. It uses a multimedia projector which functions as a background and provides snippets of video and graphics which help tell his stories. The use of constant repetition and play on words in his speech start hazily but increase in power, emotion and insight as the show gains momentum. It is in the second half of the show that he observably changes roles from being just an actor to an explosive, talented rapper.

The show would not only appeal to fans of the globally dominant subculture of hip hop. It effectively tells the story of a born thinker who has triumphed over the challenge of figuring out his calling in life and shares the wisdom which arises from that.

EWOK can be applauded for his abilities as a writer and rapper and is a very good choice for The Playhouse Company’s annual New Stages line-up. His production is a stimulating piece, one of those shows that tend to stick with you even though the lights of the theatre come on at the end and the space in which the event occurred clears out as if it never happened. – Viresh Prahalath