parody of a one-person show while also being an exemplar of the form. Such good fun!
Main Character Energy is a one-person show, written by and starring Temi Wilkey and directed by Ragevan Vasan. It is a semi-autobiographical story about an actor, Temi, who longs for the spotlight and has ever since she was a little girl. Mix in a lot of humour, a lengthy section contemplating the possibility of masterbating in front of the audience, and some perfectly timed needle drops, and then you have Main Character Energy.
It is both an excellent one-person show in its own right, and also a hilarious and biting parody of the concept of a one-person show and the inherent narcissism in the genre. The desire to be the centre of attention, which is present in a lot of us, but certainly most entertainers, is heightened into a neurotic need to have your undivided attention at all times with the reasons for this need being explored throughout the show. The parody comedy aspect is present throughout the show, but does give way to some more serious exploration of the difficulties of being a black performer and the heartache that can come from feeling underappreciated or feeling that you did not get to achieve what you wanted to. This fine line between dramatic and serious, parody and being earnest, is treaded perfectly and keeps you engaged and interested throughout.
This show is exceptionally performed by Temi Wilkey and she demonstrates the full range of her acting ability. She has a natural charm and charisma and a magnetic stage presence. The show is obviously well practised with impeccable timing of lighting and sound cues and despite the frenetic nature of some moments of the show, you never feel that Wilkey isn’t in complete control.
This is a really funny show. An one line almost throwaway joke, which references Kemi Badenoch, had me howling, and the needle drop into an Anastacia song was perfectly done. The humour is enough on its own to make this a very good show, but balanced with the light and dark of some of the more serious moments, helps to make the comedy even more impactful and enjoyable.
In conclusion, I had a great time with this show and I highly recommend it to anyone, but especially if you were ever that precocious child who ever dreamed of being a star.
Main Character Energy is playing at Soho Theatre until Saturday 15th March with a “BLACK OUT Night” performance on the 4th March.