Review: BABY RAINDEER at Capitol Musical Theatre, Wroclaw

The show isn't long - and neither will this text be. But the truth is, it stays with you long after you've left the theatre. Longer than you'd expect from something so compact.

Jan Kowalewski made this show an intensive pleasure full of surprises - like an espresso with caramel (is that even a thing? It is now). His talent and range brought the whole production to another level entirely. He plays so many people: the bartender, the stalker, the policeman, the victim  and many more - and somehow, with a single gesture, a shift of the shoulder, a flicker in the eye, you always know exactly who you're looking at. Each character is completely him and completely not him at the same time. It's the kind of performance that makes you forget to blink.

This is entertainment by definition - funny, sharp, brilliantly presented. But underneath the laughs sits a big and creepy pill to swallow: we're talking about stalking, obsession, and the particular helplessness of someone who is not believed. The contrast between the lightness of the form and

the weight of the subject is not accidental. It's the whole point.

Director Filip Kowalczyk places you so close to the action that your eyes sting and you can almost feel the characters breathing down your neck. There's nowhere to hide. But honestly? Good. Because this is exactly the kind of material you shouldn't run from. It's too good, too important, and too sharply observed to watch from a safe distance.

Lean in. Let it sting. You'll be glad you did.

Photo: Łukasz Giza

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