Seamas Carey is a charismatic and passionate musician/comedian who grew up in Cornwall, where he still lives, having toured the world with his productions. He is also the founder member of the Cornwall-based theatre company Silly Boy. He is currently touring the country with his one man show, raising awareness about the many issues Cornwall is facing, in the wake of a gentrification that people are reluctant to admit.

The performance took place on the 16th of February at the Apollo Theatre, Newport, Isle of Wight. The compact size of the venue enhanced the feeling of inclusivity and audience participation. Our good seats meant we were able to experience it in full, as well as witnessing the general reaction of the spectators. 

The show began with an offstage bagpipe performance, which we soon discovered was dubbed. This clearly introduced the comical aspect of the play.

One of my favourite and most memorable parts of the show was the cultural sing-along. This was introduced as an icebreaker, with links to Cornwall history, much like other aspects in the show. Singing was sprinkled throughout the performance to remind us why we were there. It was well received by the whole audience and the hall was filled with singing voices.

Another highlight for me was the game about stereotypes. One after the other images were projected on a screen, with the audience having to decide whether they were Nationalist or not. Some were of objects, whilst others made examples of famous individuals. While this seemed controversial, it was a good way to get into the topic of nationalism and identity.

Though made to look spontaneous, throughout the play Seamas would introduce some elements that he would later combine together. The way he delivered them took the seriousness out of the matter for a second and made us all feel safer. These also opened a window into his inner self, which mostly came out when he felt vulnerable.

Seamas was exceedingly good at engaging with the spectators while maintaining a rigid structure and timing. A live audience adds an element of unpredictability to the show, such as in one case, where there was an unexpected reaction from one spectator. He could have simply ignored it and moved on, but decided to make a point of this and use it as material. Because he broke away from the script, you could see what kind of person he was behind the act, making the show more real.

His show concluded with a reference to his podcast, which goes into the issues discussed in more detail, meaning the story doesn’t end when you leave the hall. This podcast attempts to answer political questions that arise during the monologue.

His jokes will do more than make you laugh, they will make you question your stance on important matters and leave you wanting more. I can see how some of the audience could identify with many of the topics he touched on, as several points are also common to the Isle of Wight, being a popular holiday destination.

Overall, the show was interesting, thought-provoking and a great way to spend an evening. I would definitely recommend it.

Review written by Alex Keyse.