'The Death and Life of All Of Us' Review
The Death and Life of All Of Us at Camden People's Theatre — starring Victor Esses — was perhaps less of a theatrical performance than it was a narrative. As I understood it, Esses sought to unpick the connection between his roots and character make-up, telling a story of identity.
It is apparent that his present state has been informed by his somewhat unforgiving home environment and his questioning of cultural practices, but also in large by his long-lost great-aunt Marcelle, an influential figure in virtue of her shameless individuality and unapologetic embrace of difference.
Esses depicted a journey through time, from being entangled in a web of shame and self-deceit to liberation from the constraints of a binary and merciless world. Just as his Aunt Marcelle underwent a religious conversion against the will of her family and, in turn, reframed her entire identity and sense of self, so too did Esses feel it imperative to gain touch with his true self. He works to come to terms with his sexuality — no matter the price. Esses was rightly unwilling to suppress what he knew in his heart to be true.
Staging was minimal. As such, our attention was drawn to the solo actor navigating the space. Esses’ performance was supplemented by visuals of his aunt and a selection of miscellaneous props, but narrative was perhaps disjointed at times and the significance of these symbols perhaps unclear. Such incoherence - if nothing else - is a testament to the authenticity of the performance. It was real and raw. That much was clear. Whilst the sentiment was clear and the tone fitting, at the time of watching I was uncertain about the meaning of much of the dialogue and choreography used to illustrate Esses’ message. Though, upon reflection, lives are typically difficult to navigate — somewhat chaotic, even — and memories often fragmented or hazy.
There was an interactive element to this performance, in which a number of questions were posed to the audience. Esses’ use of breaking the fourth wall effectively served to contextualise some of the narrative, but most significantly to humanise him in amongst the disorder.
It was abundantly clear that this performance meant something to Esses, that this story and these issues are something he is passionate about sharing with his audiences. His emotions certainly came through. The Death and Life of All of Us was heartfelt and poignant.
Edited by Georgia Gibson, Theatre Editor.
