A passionate study of purpose and immortalisation through the lives of Syd Barrett and Arthur Rimbaud, Crazy Diamond is running at Barons Court Theatre.
Written by Chris Brannick and directed by Karen Kirkup, Crazy Diamond is a 50-minute one-man show that uses certain aspects of the lives of musician Syd Barrett and poet Arthur Rimbaud to try to answer questions about the purpose of one’s life and how much one is willing to sacrifice for fame or to be remembered.
Tony Riley (played by Brannick) is a musician in his sixties, who finds himself wanting more from his life. Riley deeply admires both Barrett and Rimbaud and finds himself wanting to experience their “burn bright and burn quick” existence. Brannick plays Tony Riley by combining short monologues, songs, and moments of introspection. In doing so, he invites the audience to share his admiration for Barrett and Rimbaud. Brannick is effective at this, as I left the theatre with a newfound respect for these artists, despite having very limited prior knowledge of them.
The lighting and sound design are effective at setting the mood for the different scenes, helping to distinguish between the moments of reflection and the more energetic musical sections. The intimate staging also complements the show’s introspective nature, keeping the focus firmly on Riley as he shares his regrets, ambitions, and desire to leave something behind with the audience.
We saw the premiere of the show as part of the Camden Fringe. Crazy Diamond will continue its run at the Barons Court Theatre until 30 August.
Complimentary tickets were provided. We wish everyone involved a successful run.
Gonzalo
Leave a Reply