What I liked
The overall energy and arc of the show was so intelligently written and beautifully performed. From the immaculate crowd work, to the uncomfortable performance pieces, to the meaningfully selected Shakespeare sections, I was rapt throughout. There were so many times throughout the second half where I as an audience member almost wanted to yell out and comfort Bottom/tell him he was doing a good job because I was connecting to him and even relating to my own artistic insecurities… and I totally got the dancing bit – what he was trying to say there. It wasn’t necessarily good… but I got it and I felt myself wanting to tell him. That experience made me think about the act of judging art and artists in a new way and I think it’s so cool that a one person take on Shakespeare could do that! Anyway, rounding out my overly long review by saying that as a fellow overly self-critical artist who struggles to express herself in any other way… this show hit really hard for me while still making me laugh my ass off, so thank you!
What I didn't like
Nothing! Just a question I had – are there shows where audiences are more communicative in the second half? I’m really curious how that would effect the flow of the performance and I feel like it’s possible that it’s happened because I got the urge to speak out a couple of times in the sadder bits but gaged the audience and held off.
My overall impression
Rock Bottom is hilarious and terrifyingly prescient take on the life of an artist through the lens of Shakespeare’s iconic ass… I realize how that sounds.
