Words: Libby Taylor

4 stars

Orwell Prize-winning, best selling author, musician, social commentator and journalist Darren “Loki” McGarvey brings engaging and thought-provoking Trauma Industrial Complex: The Live Show to Edinburgh Fringe.

On the surface, it is a book launch promoting the release of Darren McGarvey’s new writing, but McGarvey’s performance is uniquely memorable and impactful. He creatively explores and portrays the commercialisation of trauma, and explores his own experiences of this.

McGarvey uses multifaceted storytelling; part lecture, part rap, part visualisation to keep the audience’s attention and to bring emotion and tangibility to what could otherwise have been a more academic and theoretical analysis of how trauma has been manipulated by the media. He uses the visual tools of backdrops and some
costume to complement the different elements, which add to the piece without distracting from the spoken word. Whilst his “lecture” segments raised some interesting points, they didn’t compare to the other parts of the piece and greater stage presence would have drawn the audience in more.

Nonetheless, McGarvey’s ability with words is once again clearly evident and his confidence in switching styles and moods is a reminder as to why he has achieved such a broad following. This book seems to mark a turning point in his journey so far, with McGarvey questioning the narrative of trauma that he admits he was drawn into.

His honesty is a relief to many who have been suffering because of trauma’s misrepresentation, but some of his bold statements may have benefitted from a contrasting viewpoint. Radical arguments can only go so far in challenging the status quo when unchallenged, yet he still intrigues and entertains.

Darren McGarvey – Trauma Industrial Complex: The Live Show
Stand 1 @ The Stand Comedy Club
13.30
1-12 Aug