Lima, Etcetera Theatre Review
Written by Bronagh for Theatre and Tonic.
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review. All opinions are our own.
Lima is a one man comedy that explores themes of love, loss and life, a fifty five minute whirlwind of show created and performed by Julian Azad Bonnet.
I’m not going to lie, I was ultimately a little confused by Lima. I initially felt like the scenes and stories were slightly confusing, almost giving me whiplash trying to keep up and put the pieces together. However, this was soon forgiven once I mulled it over but also once I saw how brilliant Julian was on stage and as a performer.
We enter the Etcetera Theatre, above The Oxford Arms pub located on the bustling Camden High Street. The space is small, and the stage consists of a table and chair, bench and a near empty bottle of whisky. There is a projector screen facing the audience, which is used throughout the show along with lighting techniques. The space may be small but it is completely utilised.
The show starts as Julian has been spat at, obviously disgusted and horrified. We then travel through time with Julian and see him as a waiter, smoking cannabis with his sister behind a curtain and touching moments with his mother who we learn is seriously unwell. We hear about Julian being a terror of a child, and being encouraged to take up judo. This is a lot to pack into fifty five minutes, the fast pace is steady throughout and never overwhelming.
On their own the scenes are a great watch, however, as previously mentioned I found myself getting slightly confused and dare I say ‘not quite getting it’ upon initial viewing. This is new up and coming Fringe theatre, these things are bound to happen and it did take me a couple of hours of thinking the show over to put pieces together. I personally do like shows that really make me have to think about the message being conveyed, and I left Lima doing just that.
Lima promises to show ‘how to reconcile solitude with everyday chaos’. That it does; Julian muses on how busy Paris life is in comparison to the watching the beautiful sunset in Brittany as a child. The projector screen is used to display many images of the world, from busy roads to political moments, the everyday chaos very prominent. You can almost see Julian’s mind overloaded, and then crashing down when he gets a phone call regarding his mum.
Julian’s performance is where Lima really does shine. He is brilliant to watch; from his dancing and movement, the comedic moments to the more touching moments, he really can do it all. The script ranges from your more traditional prose to more spoken word style, almost poetic yet rap-like. Julian is so energetic with his performance, which was like watching a ballerina do judo.
Overall I would say that I really enjoyed Lima once I gathered my thoughts and put it all together in my mind. Lima presented a strong reminder to take breathers in the chaos, appreciate the world around you and to take it slow which is no mean feat when you can feel the tubes rumbling below you going into Camden Town. Julian is a true talent, and I would encourage anybody to watch Lima, a thought provoking show through the lens of comedy.
At the Etcetera Theatre until 25th August 2024
★ ★ ★ ★
