EDINBURGH 2018: Review: SOUTH BEND, Gilded Balloon
South Bend is the true story of Martin McCormick's love affair with, and in, America. For as long as he can remember he has been obsessed with American pop culture and tv shows. He dreamed of going there one day and that became a reality when he spent a semester in California.
McCormick fell in love with a woman (whose name is never mentioned) and they decided to embark on a long distance relationship. Shortly after returning home, he gets a call to say that something has happened and he needs to go out and visit her in South Bend, Indiana.
What happens next is quite something. McCormick's tale is unique, surreal and at times horrifying. The script is brilliant and contains some excellent Scottish references. Everyone knows that in Scotland there is no bigger insult than being called a "VL" at eleven.
There are many nice nods to the era that the story takes places in with old dial-up tones and graphics from Nokia phones from the early 2000's.
Martin McCormick plays himself and is a wonderful storyteller. Jess Chanliau plays a multitude of characters, from the unnamed girlfriend to her mother Charlotte and various undesirables that Martin encounters on his travels.
South Bend is a wonderfully bizarre story that has been brilliantly executed onstage. The descriptions of characters and events paint a vivid picture and make for a superb hour of theatre.
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/south-bend
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