REVIEW: What Am I Doing?, Union Theatre ✭✭✭✭

What Am I Doing?: Tales From A Worrying Actor The Union Theatre 11th October 2015

4 stars

Gregory Hazel, the eponymous “worrying actor”, is propped on a high stool, and abounds with a jittery energy. As he neatly observes, producing a show about worrying is a deeply nerve-wracking prospect. Yet he promises that the two hours of self deprecating hilarity to follow won’t just reflect on the struggles of jobbing actors, rather it shall illuminate why anxiety is at the heart of the human condition.

Whilst I don’t think What Am I Doing? quite fulfilled this promise, Hazel’s easy charisma, coupled with consistently entertaining anecdotes, made for an enjoyable one man show. Constructed as a collection of songs and monologues, the show thrives on Hazel’s ability to poke fun at himself. Much of this centres on his experiences of the uniquely appealing, yet often absurd nature of a life of performance. From the hubristic decision to shout “Everyone join in!” when singing a self-penned song at a school assembly, to outlining his future on the stage -“I’ve had more offers for drag work in 2015 than non drag work” – Hazel explores his life with wholly charming levity.

This is embellished by the show’s endearingly unpolished quality. On at least one occasion he checked the running order to clarify where to go next – “You’d have thought I hadn’t written this”, and would regularly confide in us about his on stage fears - “I have a feeling of impending doom about this next song”. The show’s lack of structure did, however, affect the impact of the music. Hazel was a capable, rather than captivating singer, yet there was a great deal of potential in the sincerity of his delivery. Coupled with the impeccable Simona Budd on piano, they should have been every bit as enjoyably frank as the storytelling.

Yet their focus on universal topics – love was a common theme – lacked emotional pull, as they weren’t contextualised. Lines like “we go on dates, you watch the clock” made me keen to discover Hazel’s own experiences, but such themes were generally discarded once the song ended. Furthermore, the lyrics relied too heavily on clichés such as “overdose of love” and “I just might make it”, which rendered the sentiments somewhat impersonal. The rousing final number, an enthusiastic rendition of “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues” with lashings of audience participation, works so well because it linked to an earlier story about auditioning for The Voice. This, when examined alongside a funny and moving number about “regret”, demonstrated the potential the show had for a more involving musical narrative.

A special mention must be given to the “worry pot”, which the audience filled with thoughts during the half-time break, and were read out on Hazel’s return. These included such gems as “I worry that my worry won’t be interesting enough”, and “I worry about the coming of the Dark Lord and the mind numbing terror it brings from the deep”. This whimsical introduction to the second half gave Hazel a wealth of improvisational opportunities, and his comic timing proved to be superb. It was truly one of the most bewilderingly funny sections of a one man show that I have ever experienced.

What Am I Doing?: Tales From A Worrying Actor was a memorable one man show, which showcased Gregory Hazel’s talents as a raconteur. Though the songs often seemed far less meaningful than his monologues, some stand out numbers hinted at the potential for more involving narratives. I will certainly be watching out for his future productions.