Review: Showmanism, Hampstead Theatre - interesting, funny, weird and surreal
24/06/2025
Ian McKellan is on stage. Or at least his voice is, but not the man himself, that part's being played Dickie Beau.
Having interviewed the renowned actor about performing, Dickie Beau re-delivers what he says by lip-synching with pinpoint timing. He captures perfectly the variations in speed of delivery, every pause, sigh, chuckle and laugh.
If you saw Dickie Beau's previous show, Re-member Me, you'll be familiar with the skilled technique.
It is both gobsmackingly good and somewhat discombobulating.
Ian McKellan's isn't the only voice on stage in Showmanism, although his interview is the most used. Fiona Shaw 'joins' him among the thespian voices, and there are others from in and around the world of performance, including a voice coach, performance historian, impressionist and director.
Some are recordings from interviews with Dickie Beau, others are historic recordings.
They are a series of anecdotes and verbal essays that muse on performance, its nature and meaning. There’s serious history in there, such as talk about how sound was amplified in Greek theatres and how that had the effect of democratising voice.
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