Originally a novel, this on stage adaptation of Cola Boy brings the characters of a 90’s dance music scene alive. We meet the the titular character with his best friend, as they vow to make a homebase in Aberdeen for the dance music they travel the country to chase. But after a tragic accident leaves Cola Boy on his own, he finds himself in Dubai, struggling to keep the dream alive.
You are greeted with an instant submersion into the very dance music that soundtracked the 90’s. Fresh off the decks, the author of the novel is stood behind as he doubles as DJ for the night. A flight attendant struts the runway cutting the audience in half, spritzing perfume, leaving a trail of scent that coats the room. The boyish aloofness of Cola Boy becomes apparent when contrasted by his straight-laced air-stewardess girlfriend who he promises a future of glitz and glamour. He sees her hit her breaking point, determining him to achieve his dreams in hopes of keeping her. While his girlfriend lights the fire in him to deliver on his big promises, his best friend, most likely secretly in love with him, is the support in his life. There are ample scenes of great interaction as the cast bounce off each other. It’s clear they have an unshakable commitment to their characters. Particularly memorable is the unhinged drug dealer who stokes a funny to watch fear in Cola Boy, or the author interacting with Cola Boy to break it to him that his life is fiction. However, despite the promising start, the show doesn’t deliver what it could.
With a run time of 45 minutes, the show could not afford to have unnecessarily long and clunky transitions. It also couldn’t afford to dedicate half the show to Cola Boy pacing up and down the stage in silence in an attempt to convince us he’s stressed, or again, silently pondering a task as we sit and watch. The show ends abruptly, leaving the scenes that were presented amount to nothing. It seems more like a live-action pr scheme to sell the book as opposed to a wholly put together play adaptation of the novel. Nonetheless, the tunes are great and with some work, this on-stage adaptation has a lot of potential to take off.
Cola Boy
20:20 @ TheSpace at Symposium Hall – Annexe
