Edinburgh Fringe 2015
What Would Spock Do
Seabright Productions
Genre: Comedy
Venue: Gilded Balloon
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Sam Donnelly takes us on a highly funny and emotional journey through space, and the life of someone who really loves Star Trek.
Review
This is a show for every geek out there who has ever felt ashamed, embarrassed or isolated within their love of a fandom. Especially Star Trek. Sam Donnelly takes us through his intense love of Star Trek and the bullying he endured because of it, tales of his grandfather’s role in his obsession and his decision to suppress it, through to the love story between him and the girl who has her very own Spock Day.
Donnelly is incredible likeable and instantly captivates attention with his humour and passionate storytelling. Beginning the show with ‘Star Trekking’ is inspired as I defy anyone to listen to that song without smiling. The Star Trek soundtrack is used to highlight it’s brilliance and relevance to every day situations – having an idea will never be the same again.
Donnelly evokes genuine emotion with his straight retellings of his past with audible gasps and murmurs from the audience as he speaks of the destruction of his scrapbook at the hands of bully Shane Deacon and when his 8 year old self missed the opportunity to meet Leonard Nimoy at his first convention.
He does not shy away from the controversy of Star Trek vs Star Wars, his comparison of Star Wars to The Lion King is enough to enrage any fan however he does so with great humour and provides solid evidence so that no-one can deny he’s a little bit right.
There is relevance for anyone who has a passion that no one around them understands, Donnelly tells how he abandoned his love of Star Trek and became “normal” due to pressure from his peers and a desire to conform. He adapted the the world of football, beer, and girls instead and locked his passion away from the mocking of everyone around him. In doing so he almost loses the love of his life. He provides us with two messages; first of all Star Trek is incredible, and secondly never conform, always be yourself however geeky that may be
There is incredible warmth and humour throughout, mixed with the music, and the cardboard cut out of Mr Spock himself What Would Spock do becomes a beacon for all non-conformists, geeks, and outcasts who have ever felt alone in their passion for something. Sam Donnelly really is a wonder of a storyteller and he has inspired me to go and watch the original series all over again.
