Showmanism at Hampstead Theatre Review
Dickie Beau in Showmanism. Photo by Amanda Searle
Written by Becky for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
‘Acting is half shame, half glory. Shame of exhibiting himself, glory when you forget yourself.’
Actor and performance artist, Dickie Beau, returns to Hampstead Theatre for his limited run of Showmanism. With previous critical acclaim for its premiere at The Royal Theatre Bath in 2022, the one man show is a dramaturgical masterpiece that tells a kaleidoscopic history of theatre and the self. Co-devised and directed by Jan-Willem Van Den Bosch, Showmanism offers a totally unique theatre experience that is reflective, surprising and visually spectacular.
Tag lined as ‘a concise history of the theatre’, Beau takes you through a journey of stage and performance, using his renowned lip-syncing style of some of theatre’s most established names. Knowledge, anecdotes, and advice were shared through interviews with theatre favourites such as Sir Ian McKellen and Fiona Shaw, whose voiceover recordings are used lip-synced with style and precision.
The way that Beau used every piece of dialogue as a theatrical tool was captivating to watch, where he would physically embody not just the people he was performing as, but the language they were using. A great example includes his portrayal of the voice of impressionist Steve Nallon, who details how he would learn to do the voices of British politicians for the popular satire Spitting Image. Performing the section halfway up a ladder, Beau plays on the caricature nature of Nallon’s impressionist work by using slapstick movements while hanging off the ladder. This added a brilliantly fun layer to the characterisation of these voices.
Showmanism also explores the theatre and the self through his audio visuals, raising existential questions on performance, and why people perform and watch theatre. Ian McKellen questions why people laugh at a show, describing laughter as a performance. Similarly, Beau chooses to include moments of raw conversations in the show, offering thoughts on how every human interaction has a narrative. Fiona Shaw asks Beau, ‘Will you be talking to the audience?’, which is repeated in the show. The suggestion of Beau’s presentation of himself, ultimately raising questions on how we can authentically perform as ourself, was moving to watch.
Finally, The production is exquisitely designed, with every inch of the stage used in the storytelling. The set (Justin Nardella), exhibited an exciting array of objects, many of which were symbolic of the theatre, such as Hamlet’s skull and model amphitheatres. Beau seamlessly used these to transition to each section of the show. Nardella’s clever video design was also projected onto the stage, displaying a metaphorical elevator that would take the audience through its historical journey of theatre.
Showmanism is ashow that has so much depth that it’s hard to put into words how rich in quality Beau’s production is. It’s a glorious breakdown of art, being human, and understanding the world we live in, tied up in one of the most aesthetically engaging productions I’ve seen.
Showmanism plays at Hampstead Theatre until 12 July
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
