Music review: Geek, C venues '“ C aquila
Geek, C venues – C aquila (Venue 21) ***
Set in the US Bible Belt, in a place called Hopeless Junction, the show follows a teenager, Gibby, played by Olivia Tebsherany, whose bad skin leads her to be condemned as “possessed by Satan” and treated like a female Elephant Man.
However, when Gibby dons a mask that literally allows her spots to shine, her story also starts to have something in common with the Phantom of the Opera – not least because Tebsherany has a beautiful voice, which, along with the on-stage band, makes for toe-tapping tunes out from tales of not fitting in.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdWhile the production, by Boston-based youth company Infinity Rep, often has a defiant disregard for professional polish or props, it’s fuelled by wild imagination and good-humoured asides.
A rather sudden ending – with rousing finale – glosses over a deeper exploration of the issues set up by a young woman defined solely by her skin. But as the unusual ensemble frantically pack up their set, before disappearing back into the dark, it’s a reminder of how a low-fi aesthetic needn’t limit large-scale ambition.
• Until 18 August, 7:05pm