What I liked
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What I didn't like
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My overall impression
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A GAY BUG is a colorful journey through a strange and fantastical world.
In addition to being an engaging performer, Ell has proven themself as an inventive craftsperson, utilizing smart visual and practical effects that enhance the world.
I’m noticing that I’ve used the word “world” in this review twice now—and that’s telling. From characters, costumes/makeup, music/sound, lighting, and props to audience interaction, it’s clear that Ell is a world-builder. They immerse the audience in a playful and vivid forest, perhaps in part to help us reimagine the way we look at our own environments.
Disjointed at parts, this show takes its time, allowing the audience to really hang out with Olly the bug as he searches for his lost ball. I connected with the heart of the show more than the pacing. It’s obvious that Ell is successful in striking at our core desires of belonging and play while Olly the bug encounters opportunity and abuse along the path of seeing and being seen.
