A roller-coaster ride – on every level – as Jordan Tweddle took us through such an emotionally charged hour, of what it means to be gay, living with ADHD.
“Chaos always seems to find me”. This was one of the overarching themes of the performance – “I’m impulsive, make poor choices… that’s why I’m a Pillock!”
Pillock’s performance was hypnotic in its sheer randomness. The amount of personal energy, impetus and input, for a one-man show for a full hour, was palpable and astonishing in equal measure.
Everything moved at over 100mph, and yet there were also so many beautiful, touching and poignant points as well – especially the more ponderous and reflective lines, delving deep into the complexities of what it is to be human: Pillock’s grappling with a longing for love, the search for meaning, combined with a desire to discover and find what home really means.
The struggles ranged from dairy to drugs to Grindr – Pillock confessed that his head was screaming, and yet still there were not the words: “I can feel the silence pushing down on me, and yet it’s simply too loud”. Thinking faster than you’re speaking – this was a visceral and autobiographical insight into one individual soul: complex and beautiful simultaneously.
Holding together a whirlpool of emotions, and a vortex of dilemmas, we couldn’t help but being drawn into this captivating show. It was both impossible to keep up with and implausible to lose touch with – the pace communicated the intensity and immensity of anxiety and immediacy.
Full credit for all that was invested in this, on such a personal level – maybe as exhausting for the audience as no doubt for the performer!
The show finished at 7.25pm.
Pillock, Friday 9th August, Assembly Rooms (Front Room)
Continues until 25th August 2024, 6.25pm: £14 | £13 (concessions). Suitability – 16+