This group uses smartly choreographed dance numbers and slapstick comedy to shame me for how much I use my phone (which happens to be a lot).
As someone who has a combined screen time between my laptop and phone of more than eight hours, I am no stranger to having a slightly internet-infested brain. In fact, there were several moments throughout the show where I felt personally attacked by how accurately it captured the habits of people who spend far too much time online.
This super original performance is a smack in the face for anyone with a phone addiction. Starting from the moment you first download the app; the show follows the journey of getting sucked further and further into the online world. What begins as something innocent and entertaining gradually becomes much harder to escape, reflecting how easily scrolling can become an automatic part of everyday life.
The performers are incredibly high-energy, which keeps the show moving at a fast pace and makes sure even the more serious themes never become too heavy. Their physical comedy and exaggerated movements are particularly effective, making familiar experiences of internet culture feel ridiculous while also making you question your own habits.
One of the strongest parts of the performance is its ability to introduce deeper topics without feeling like it is lecturing the audience. Rather than simply telling us that spending too much time online is bad, the show makes us laugh at the absurdity of our relationship with our phones and then leaves us to recognise some of our own behaviour in it.
The combination of dance, comedy and commentary on modern technology makes this show both entertaining and relevant. It is especially easy to relate to if, like me, you have ever opened your phone for one quick scroll and somehow ended up losing an hour.
Doomscroll Till I Die, 11:30, Baby Grand at Pleasance Courtyard, 5th – 31st (not 18th and 19th)
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/doomscroll-till-i-die
