FRINGE – Theatre – The Interminable Suicide of Gregory Church – Adelaide Town Hall – 4.5K

Daniel Kitson presents the story of Gregory Church, a lonely man with nothing to live for, who has decided to end his life. However, Gregory is an organised and structured man and so, before he can carry out his final task, he must write letters to those with whom he feels he may have unfinished business. Setting out to accomplish this, Gregory discovers that letters actually take longer to write than he first thought and only after three days of toil, has he accomplished his task. By this time however, people have started to respond to his initial letters and so Gregory finds that in tying up his loose ends, he has in fact created more – and created a reason to continue living.

What follows is an entertaining summary of the content of over 30,000 letters, either sent or received by Gregory over the following 24 years. Through these letters we meet a variety of characters, many of whom continue their correspondence with Gregory for years to come. Kitson delivers the story in a frenetic and excitable manner, taking us on Gregory’s journey from an individual devoid of human connection to one who has regular and genuinely affectionate relationships with many.

There are no props in this show; it is all reliant on Kitson’s ability to deliver it in a compelling and engaging manner. He more than accomplishes this. Even within the less than intimate venue of the Adelaide Town Hall and following an initial incident with the amplification – which saw him restricted to a standing microphone for the majority of the show – Kitson’s energy draws the audience in. 

This is a compelling show. It is a drama with no more plotline than one man’s ordinary life and another’s effort to learn from, and understand, it. It is also a very funny and uplifting experience, with Kitson’s wonderful comic ability shining throughout his telling of the story.

Kryztoff Rating: 4.5K

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