An introspective exploration of saying the inside thoughts out loud.
Daniel Bye, in collaboration with ARC Stockton and Alphabetti Theatre continued their months-long tour at the Tron Theatre this week with Bye’s show Imaginary Friends. A speculative fiction meets stream of conscious adventure into the depths of the human psyche, this ninety minute show packed a real punch. Seamlessly moving from the direct to audience comedic introduction into the narrative, Bye masterfully established the framework of the piece that exists out with any clear genre. Establishing himself and his character as a comedian the show begins in proper comedic fashion with one man and a microphone and a dash of observational comedy.
Bye plays a media personality who has just lost his brother. The next hour and a bit the audience is invited into the internal struggle to create something out of this bereavement, and the guilt that comes with the thought. When Bye dismisses the voice of his brother on the hospital bench, however, he begins to find himself engaging with other, louder voices in the social stratosphere. As these voices grow louder and louder, they compel him to engage in increasingly escalating publicity stunts and activism towards extreme measures that would undoubtedly result in the end of the world. At least he said he was sorry?
What ensues is a fascinating piece that demonstrates the importance of choosing the voices we allow to speak directly into our lives, Imaginary Friends is a whirlwind show. Complete with self-aware analysis of comedy as a genre and the pressures to create and commodify human experiences, there is something raw and unrefined about the whole show that is undoubtedly human. That is not to say that this piece is universal. Beautiful for creatives, comedians, and artists alike, there is a level of exclusion inherent in the premise. If you are apolitical, looking for a bit of escapism or something lighthearted this is not the play for you. If you find yourself among the former, this will be a show that sticks with you for a while. Imaginary Friends is a scouring experience. Compelling and engaging, Bye has created something masterful that deserves a watch. This piece will make you think and laugh and squirm in equal measure. As Bye loses touch with reality and faces his own mortality in the end there is a gorgeous motif of falling and what it means to let people see you fall. Bye invites the audience into the experience of his own falling, creatively. It is a privilege to experience such storytelling in an increasingly loud creative landscape.
You can find a list of remaining tour locations here: http://www.danielbye.co.uk/