Olly Hawes’ play Old Fat F**k Up at the Riverside Studios is described as part autobiographical, but which parts are true?
It’s something the writer/performer plays on throughout the piece, telling us that bits are true when there are question marks. There are also the parts that he wants to be true and others that he hopes don’t come true.
He tells the story as if directing a film – or the six-part Netflix series he covets. He describes what we would see if watching TV, painting a vivid picture of the location of each scene..
It’s a slice of life. A day. An overweight, middle-aged, tired dad under financial pressure, living in an ex-council flat with a boiler that might just be about to pack up. He has two young kids and another on the way.
The realities of modern life are laid bare. It’s in hiding his phone from his kids so he can mindlessly scroll, traffic jams and NHS waiting lists.
It’s in his loss of control of his life and at moments with himself, when his rational brain loses out to the emotional triggers.
And it’s in his battle with masculinity, the type of man he wants to be and who he wants his son to be.
We know little about his life leading up to this day, the choices he’s made or not made, and what has shaped him, but this is a pivotal day.
Olly Hawes is a skilled scene setter and an assured storyteller. He takes his time, which feels like a luxury when the world seems glued to short clips, rapid delivery and snippets of information.
This is a dark story peppered with moments of levity. It’s a balancing act and one that wobbles on occasion.
Sometimes the humour is much needed and well-timed, sometimes it feels a little intrusive and misplaced.
There is no doubting that Olly Hawes is a good writer, and this is a play that touches on important topics but it has the potential to explore them more deeply.
I’m giving Old Fat F**k Up ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Old Fat F**k Up, Riverside Studios
Written and performed by Olly Hawes
Directed by P Burton-Morgan
Running time: 70 minutes, no interval.
Various performance dates until 20 Dec, for more information and to book tickets, visit the Riverside Studios website.
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