Scotland and England. Brothers in arms? Brothers at arms with one another? Brothers at all to begin with? Kieran Hodgson bases a comedic show based on finding himself in the midst of these quandaries when he leaves his cushy life in London to become a person of Glasgow.
After a wake-up call of life-changing proportions, Hodgson figures something’s got to give if he’s gonna keep the people he loves close to him. He can no longer go on living life like a pompous *English arsehole. Fatefully, the chance to move out of the stuffy South and start anew in Scotland lands in his lap. He decides he has to take the opportunity so he can face the people he loves again, a changed man. It is decided: he is to become Scottish.
The story is obviously founded on personal experiences, and the farce-like embellishment doesn’t take away from the authenticity. Instead you marvel at the places Hodgson can take his creativity. His multi-character work is seamless as he utterly transforms into the Scottish archetypes he encounters. Each character provides him pieces to form the puzzle that is Scotland, but the puzzle doesn’t seem to get clearer as he trudges on to complete it. But is it a puzzle anyone can, or has a right to complete as an outsider? What if Hodgson is on a mission he can never complete?
Hodgson interweaves sustained self-deprecation, with ruthless remarks on formal to casual cultural relations. It’s a revolving door of precision, nothing is out of place. Bit after meticulous bit, Hodgson manages to uphold his unique humour, that really, no one else can dream up or perform. Stood in front of large audiences that surrender to the journey through his version of hilarious reality, it’s undeniable his tale of an Englishman in Scotland is a show that truly belongs at the Fringe.
Kieran Hodgson: Big In Scotland
19:00
Pleasance Courtyard – Forth
Aug 14-27
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/kieran-hodgson-big-in-scotland
