Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Half Man//Half Bull: Theseus
Wright & Grainger
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 1 Theseus: A lad heads off to kill a monster. To prove himself. To make history. A story about winning and what we lose on the way. A poetic rock concert/theater event about human nature, as revealed through the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.
Review
The Inventive Wright&Grainger with Oliver Tilney and Molly Morris continue their exploration of Greek mythology in Theseus. Through their unique medium of rock, rap and folk infused songs they tell the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. Theseus is just a guy with a complex relationship to his high functioning Dad. Before the show even begins a throbbing musical energy saturates the room- the air is full of haze and flashing lights as the engaging young Theseus sings out his frustrations in a rap-inspired rant. Frustrations about life, about expectations, especially the expectations of his Dad. Sound familiar?
As in the other part of Half Man//Half Bull: Daedalus different performers sing/speak the narrative; in this narrative Theseus is up front and active playing out his teenage angst. The strobe lights relentlessly flash adding to the rock concert vibe, an ideal format for the expression of youth, energy and high pitched emotion. He needs to sail away, and become a hero in everyone’s eyes, and prove himself to his Dad. Theseus voyage music halts, and one of the performer’s stops and looks at the audience and asks “How long does it take to get from Athens to Crete? Sailing?” Suddenly the rock concert becomes a pub quiz, and we all eagerly play along. As the high octane performance continues we land in Create and meet Ariadne and a deal is made. We land with Theseus in the maze and meet the bull-headed Minotaur and Theseus, fueled by glory, fulfills his mission. There are new realizations that I won’t give away, as Ariadne has her own agenda and maybe becoming a hero isn’t quite as cool as you thought. There is a drunken late night phone call to Dad, and then there is the normal teen-age fuck up, where you just forget to change the black sail to white. There are consequences, and someone else pays the price.
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 woven together in a way that makes it immediate and relevant. One song flows into the next with skillful theatrical timing, commitment and emotional build.
This is the best work I have seen at the Fringe this year (along with Daedalus). It is slightly raw, ready and real- Wright and Grainger present creative new work that is memorable along with their two other artist colleagues, Oliver Tilney and Molly Morris. Special 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 this 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.
