Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Shower Chair
Ben Fallaci & Speakerphone Productions
Genre: Drama, LGBTQIA+, New Writing, Solo Performance, Solo Play, Solo Show, Theatre
Venue: Greenside @ George Street
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Everyone has a story to tell, every person carrying within them a narrative that is both unique to them and in many ways relatable to an audience. Shower Chair is a one man show which tells Ben Fallaci’s story, a story of coming out, of the ups and downs of a troubled existence in modern America. This shower chair holds some significance, acting as the catalyst of revelation – the item which becomes central to the story in as much as it was upon the shower chair that Fallaci’s life changed.
Review
Everyone has a story to tell, every person carrying within them a narrative that is both unique to them and in many ways relatable to an audience. It is these stories which find themselves being performed at Fringe, perfectly suiting the theatre environment that has been curated. We meet some people’s deepest revelations through performance here, actors finding themselves becoming vulnerable through theatre, getting naked.
Shower Chair is a one man show which tells Ben Fallaci’s story, a story of coming out, of the ups and downs of a troubled existence in modern America. It is a story of fun, of challenges, of hope. Fallaci performs the story effectively, jumping from character to character with ease. The characterisation of each of the different figures is a highlight of the show, with every individual being clearly identifiable from the second he switches role. The first character we get to meet is Sybil. This wonderful alter-ego meets invisible friend is a flamboyant addition to the story, her presence as a fussy, conservative colonial woman adds a flair to the early years of his story. Amongst the other skins inhabited are the best friend Sebastian and the series of female best friends that signify the chapters in his life. As each chapter with a friend closes another opens, yet for the most part Sebastian is always there, somewhere in the background. It is only towards the end that the true significance of his existence comes to light, providing a whole new perspective on the story and making audiences question what they have just witnessed.
Never does Fallaci leave the stage, his costume changes taking place in front of us and consisting of items pulled from an overflowing trunk on one side of the stage. The inner aspects of theatre are on display here, even down to the use of a speaker and his phone instead of a tech team, adding to the raw feel of the show. As for other set, there is the shower curtain, which turns, becoming the boundary between times and places in Fallaci’s life, something that can be stepped through like a portal. And, of course, there is the shower chair from which the play draws its name. This shower chair holds some significance, acting as the catalyst of revelation – the item which becomes central to the story in as much as it was upon the shower chair that Fallaci’s life changed. The power of taking hold of your life and turning it around is undeniably inspiring and is told well, being a fun show rather than descending too far into seriousness too much of the time.
