Words: Rosie Hall
Image: Dylan Woodley

4 stars

Derek Mitchell’s show Goblin is named after us, the audience. We are all Goblin, the Goblin that lives inside of his brain, to be more precise. We first showed up around the time that his older brother died and have been there for him at every moment since, a trusted confidante and friend.

The show, to myself and other recovering emos, is a true period piece. It is 2007 and Elliot, our protagonist, self-consciously teeters on stage, flicking his hair. He has thick rings of eyeliner around his eyes, he wears jeans tight enough to cut off circulation in his tibial arteries. Mitchell has extraordinarily sharp observational skills, and his subtle touches to the character of Elliot are pitch-perfect for the era (cue *awkward turtle* hand gesture). The audience are all laughing so much at these that we hardly notice the darkness seeping into Elliot’s story until it is too late. Our position as confidante slowly transforms from a fun and kooky relationship to an enabling one, a catalyst of the cycle of harm that Elliot finds himself trapped within.

Goblin has an immediately engaging premise but the real beauty of the show is its sensitivity. The audience is immediately attuned to Elliot’s quirks and endearing, sweet naivety, and Mitchell paints a picture of his life so vividly. Though Elliot’s backstory and home life with his parents is revealed in slight fragments, it felt as if this perhaps wasn’t given quite enough pause to deliver the emotional weight required; though there are many other emotional gut-punches to come later in the show.

A shining, original piece of solo theatre, as darkly clever as it is hilarious, as it is deeply heart-breaking. I listened to My Chemical Romance all the way home.

Derek Mitchell: Goblin
Summerhall Former Gent’s Locker Room
21:50
31st Jul – 24th Aug