Issy Cory
When Kev rushes to the club toilet for a number two, he emerges into something he never bargained for. Quinn is in the next cubicle along, reading Gatsby, and he’s about to change the trajectory of Kev’s life in a totally unexpected way.
All Kev knows is the hyper toxic masculinity of his friends, before he meets Quinn. Quinn is gay, a total book nerd, and most importantly, willing to welcome Kev into his world even after an incredibly awkward toilet encounter. In exchange for a round of drinks, Quinn asks Kev if they can discuss Gatsby, seeing as Kev knows the book, and from then a friendship blossoms despite Kev’s apprehension.
Alexander Tait presents a masterclass in storytelling. He plays his characters with such dexterity that you forget it is only one person on stage acting it out. Switching seamlessly from one accent to another, between macho Cammy and sassy Moira, Tait dances around each different persona with ease. As a performer, he is engrossed in every moment, so physically present that it is impossible to take your eyes off him. As a writer, he is even more talented. The story is easy to follow yet deals with heavy subject matter and is littered with hilarious punchlines. Every scene has a purpose, every line pushes the story onwards.
Kev Campbell Was He is a prime example of what happens when you successfully combine fantastic writing skills with a strong message. Kev is the ultimate bystander, not knowing how to stand up for his new friend Quinn, who is so different from the circles he’s always found himself in. In a world where standing up for others is becoming more necessary – particularly men standing up to other men – Tait’s dive into the complexities of male friendship feels timely and excellently portrayed.
At times the transitions feel a touch clunky, or a joke passes us by too fast for us to notice, however this does little to affect the energy that Tait is bringing to the table. His choice to abandon the narrative at points to flesh out a simile within the dialogue is testament to his ambition as a creative. Instead of describing the feeling of being laughed at within the context of Kev Campbell’s world, he outsources it to a sequence of a pilot without a clue about how to fly a plane, filling the room with panic. It is clever moments like these which not only allow Tait to once again flex his muscles as an actor, but also reveals his profound understanding of how an audience thinks. Tait fights for our attention from the start of this show to its end, and he wins over and over again.
Recommended Drink: Tequlia. Many, many shots of tequila.
Catch Kev Campbell Was He at theSpace @ Symposium Hall – Annexe until August 10th at 19:15. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Box Office.
Phoebe Bakker
Jake Mace
