Blast! By Kneehigh
Blast!
Kneehigh Theatre
Another sell out performance of Blast! and the Asylum rocked with laughter once again as we joined Kneehigh at it’s anarchic best.
Craig Johnson revisits his wonderful role as Colin, incomer to our land who wants to swim with dolphins and have a bench erected in his name on his passing, but Colin’s meeting with his maker may happen sooner than he thinks. Attempting to give a lecture on the ‘history of amateur dramatic society – Kneehigh’, Colin is soon overwhelmed by Cornish suicide bombers Trevor Stuggs and Chough. Mayhem and madness ensue as our lovable terrorists romp through Cornish history with comic visuals, superbly funny lines, bizarre costumes and saffron bun throwing. With incredible speed and timing, we are carried back to the burning of our books, the razing to the ground of Glasney College, the banning of our language and the murder of our ancestors by English death squads. We are reminded of the brilliance of Humphrey Davey and Richard Pearce, the determination of Mary Bryant and the madness of Dolly Pentreath, the bravery of our miners and our fishermen.
Brilliantly written by Carl Grose; reprising his role of Trevor Stuggs taking Blast’s madness to new extremes. Simon Harvey is a welcome addition to this production, adding an extra dimension to Chough’s character as the gay Janner in love with Trevor.
Incredible performances by this trio of outstanding actors, ending with a heartbreaking roll call when the laughter stops and the audience falls silent before erupting into a long and richly deserved standing ovation.
Sheila Vanloo
August 2010