Words: Alex Grunberg

4 Stars

A one man show sustained by the actor’s passion and energy through a performance packed with information on a famous Elton John press scandal. Taking on a variety of characters, slipping between accents and inflection as he confides and muses and argues with himself, the lone actor builds the world of this moment in time. And the world of “Monstering the Rocketman” is inhabited by sleazy reporters, people looking to make quick cash with an easy lie, celebrities who hungry readers have trouble seeing are real people, and a reporter trying to secure his job at The Sun.

The young reporter carries us through the drama through a character arc that defies quick judgment. The facts may be fixed, and mistakes may be made, but it’s the choices we make that decide how we will be performed onstage at the Fringe. The information is fascinating. The tabloid photos shocking. But, it is through this character that the audience connects to the emotional heart of the story. Because it was not just a “story” that The Sun published because it sounded true enough to sell. It was a man’s life. 

I loved how the writing tied these issues to the present, calling on the audience to interrogate what they read. It’s easy to look back and say something is ridiculous. But it can be harder to see the truth when you are in the throes of a skewed story yourself.

Monstering the Rocketman by Henry Naylor
Ace Dome at Pleasance Dome
16:10
30 July – 24 August