Monkeys Everywhere 5***** - One4Review
one4review | On 04, Aug 2024
“Monkeys Everywhere,” starring the incredibly lively Garry Starr, is a charming show for audiences aged 5 and above. It masterfully combines chaotic fun with a thoughtful look at mental health. Starr is grappling with the issue that he hasn’t written the ending of this show yet, and this high-energy showcase of talent is a look at how mental health can create obstacles in the creative process as well as decision-making. Set in a mix of construction site meets monkey cage, there are various props to reflect the distractions and mental clutter Starr is facing. Whether it’s learning to catch a multitude of grapes (Monkey nuts) in his mouth, which really must have taken a while to master, or chucking his desk supplies into the bin, there is constant metaphor displayed on stage.
Starr is a master at physical comedy, and each sequence is greeted with cheers and eruptions of laughter through his constant playfulness, and we’re drawn in through various audience participation moments. We become part of the chaos, and by doing so, we are complicit in the distraction Starr faces in not writing the end of the very show we’re sitting in.
I kept coming back to a throw-away line without wanting to spoil too much of this fantastic performance, where Starr asks an audience member to throw a giant monkey on his back, and here lies the beauty of this show. If you look at it at face value, you will have a wonderful time, laugh along, and leave feeling like you got your money’s worth and your family had fun. If you decide to ponder the performance and start picking it apart, this throwaway line is a fitting example of just how well thought out this show is and how much of a powerful metaphor for the burdens of mental health issues and the pressure of expectations that grow heavier when left unaddressed. Maybe I’m simply reading too much into it and it’s just a line about a monkey.
“Monkeys Everywhere” is a blend of laughter and insight, deftly addressing the importance of understanding our mental landscape. Starr’s ability to transform complex themes into a light-hearted, family-friendly experience is nothing short of genius. This performance is an unmissable treat that leaves audiences with smiles and a new perspective on their ‘monkeys.’ You’d be bananas to miss it!M
*****
Reviewed by Matthew
Pleasance Courtyard – Forth
Until 25th (not 7,14 or 21)
11.30 (1hr)
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