This show starts before you even enter the room. Stacy Price, greets each audience member at the door and welcomes them into the ‘hospital’. We were even given our own individual patient ID bracelets, I guess just in case we got lost in the silliness. In fact, this performance is full of props, including plushie fruits and vegetables to throw at Stacy when certain buzz words are said.
This performance is an examination of the American medical system, visualised through four different characters, a doctor, apatient, a debt collector, and cancer itself. Price switches between these characters by quickly ducking behind a medical privacy costume and throwing on a wig or tie. This is a smart way to go about changing personas while playing multiple characters, however sometimes these changes were a tad bit too subtle and made it confusing.
Audience interaction is a huge part of this performance from start to end, she constantly talks and asks for the audience’s input throughout which makes it really feel like we are part of the show. Or waiting in a hospital admin area chatting with the people around us.
While this show is predominately unserious and light-hearted, towards the end it flips on its axis, reflecting on her own battle with cancer and how it made it feel like she didn’t belong through an emotional reading of her favourite poem.
Citizen Other Place is a funny light hearted look at the issues surrounding US healthcare but also a representation of peoples very real lives and how isolating the struggle with medical issues can be.
With a bit of re-scripting around character distinction and narrative flow I’m sure this show would be a hit!
Citizen Other Place, 13:45, Pickle Studio at Greenside @ Riddles Court, 7th – 29th (not 16th and 23rd )
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/citizen-otherplace
