Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Half Man//Half Bull: Daedalus
Wright&Grainger with Oliver Tilney and Molly Morris
Genre: Music, New Writing, Storytelling
Venue: Summerhall
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
HALF MAN || HALF BULL is an epic theatrical double album told live on stage through soaring music and searing spoken word in two parts. This review is about
PART 2- Daedalus: A boy falls out the sky. His dad built wings. To escape. A story about inventing a way out, and what happens when we fall. A heartrending retelling of Daedalus and Icarus through live music and spoken word.
Review
The audience encircles a small platform stage with a storyteller, microphone and small skeleton of a teradactyl flying overhead. Lights pulse and the haze surrounds you as performers with guitar or mics are stationed in the space. And a personable storyteller begins the tale of Daedalus twenty years later, sitting alone in a bar, drinking. With conviction, pathos and damn good poetic lyrics we hear the song of the bar. Daedalus cannot forgive himself, and why did the kid do exactly what he told him not to, flying so close to the sun? Part 2 of Half Man//Half Bull is more lyrical and less in your face than Part 1 but equally effective and perhaps even more memorable. The story is told by the Dad left behind, humiliated, depressed , going over the same old saga in his head, and remembering moments that led up to The Event.
Stories are woven and sung from different parts of the stage, interspersed with audience participation: “Who here makes a good paper airplane?” We are treated to the song of a 9 year old boy on his birthday, wanting to fly up into the sky, “Dad Knows what I want.” We the willing audience are handed paper and with appropriately joyous flying music, we make planes and toss them on cue into the air and across the theater. In a glory of silliness and play we pick up landed planes and continue to toss until the song is over, feeling a bit mischievous. Our main storyteller looks on fondly; “Wasn’t that fun?” We all nod enthusiastically. As with Part 1, Theseus; the 4 performers alternate taking on the role of lead storyteller ; singing into mics in different parts of the space; all telling different parts of Daedalus’s memories.
In an undefinable format that works, the performance is part rock concert (most of the communication is sung); part stand-up, and all unapologetic story-telling. The story is knit together in a way that makes it immediate and relevant. One song flows into the next with skillful theatrical timing, lighting and emotion build. This story is about mistakes you’ve made, and the “what-ifs” you cannot shake. At the end, the audience, with tears in their eyes, sing softly along with the chorus of the song, feeling a bit like they’ve gone through group therapy together. As is the ancient point of telling these myths, we collectively identify and find catharsis within the tale.
This is the best work I have seen at the Fringe this year (along with Part 1). It is slightly raw, ready and real- Wright and Grainger present work that is memorable along with their two other artist colleagues, Alexander Wright and Tendaii Humphrey Sitima. Kudos to Phil Grainger, whose superb musicianship grounds the rap, lyric rock and fold influenced songs. The work is seamlessly knit, and benefits from years of work by the talented and committed company- they have their format down, and this was as effective a performance as I have seen. If you can see only one piece at the Fringe this year, see one (or both!) of Half Man//Half Bull, and rejoice that there is exhilarating art to be found at the Fringe. It is a MUST SEE show.
