theguardian.com
Feeling Afraid": A Stand-Up Show Exploring Authenticity and Anxiety
Samuel Barnett stars in Marcelo Dos Santos's "Feeling Afraid as if Something Terrible is Going to Happen," a one-person show exploring a comedian's anxieties and self-sabotaging behaviors within a relationship with an American man suffering from cataplexy, blurring the line between truth and performance.
- How does the performance style of Samuel Barnett as the stand-up comedian contribute to the show's exploration of vulnerability, self-deception, and the audience's role in interpreting a performance?
- The show uses the comedic format of stand-up to explore deeper issues of authenticity and the nature of confessional performance. The comedian's stories, presented as autobiographical, blur the lines between fact and fiction, challenging the audience's assumptions about truth and performance in a stand-up show. The ambiguity mirrors the uncertainties of love and relationships.
- What are the central themes explored in Marcelo Dos Santos's "Feeling Afraid as if Something Terrible is Going to Happen", and how do they connect to contemporary anxieties about relationships and authenticity?
- Feeling Afraid as if Something Terrible is Going to Happen" is a one-person show written by Marcelo Dos Santos and performed by Samuel Barnett. It follows an unnamed comedian's dating experiences, specifically a relationship with an American man who has cataplexy. The show explores themes of anxiety, insecurity, and self-sabotage within the context of gay dating and relationships.
- In what ways does "Feeling Afraid" engage with the tradition of confessional performance in theatre, and what are its unique contributions to that form, specifically regarding the audience's perception of authenticity and truth?
- The show's exploration of authenticity and the manipulation of facts in stand-up comedy suggests a broader reflection on the nature of truth and storytelling in the digital age. The intentional blurring of lines between reality and performance pushes audience members to confront their own complicity in accepting a narrative presented as fact even when uncertainty exists. This resonates with similar themes found in other faux-confessional performances.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The framing is largely neutral, focusing on the show's artistic merits and thematic exploration. While the review highlights the 'sad clown' trope, it does so as a lens for analyzing the performance, not as a judgment of the performer or subject matter.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral and descriptive. Terms like "nervy," "self-sabotaging," and "despondency" accurately reflect the character's emotional state without resorting to loaded language. The reviewer uses subjective terms ('stunningly complex', 'genuine existential terror') but only to evaluate the piece's artistic qualities.
Sustainable Development Goals
The play explores themes of mental health struggles, self-destructive behaviors (drug use), and the impact of these issues on relationships. The portrayal of the comedian's anxieties and pathologies directly relates to mental health and well-being, highlighting the negative consequences of untreated mental health issues.