“Hard-hitting, bitterly comical and painfully real”
Shotgunned really does come at you with both barrels from the beginning. Directed by Matt Anderson, the show depicts the tragedy and beauty of a relationship through good times and bad. With only two actors and an hour-long performance, the play blasts you with deeply charged emotion and leaves a lasting impression on the mind. Throughout the play we are treated to dynamics of Dylan and Ros, their self-deprecation, use of sarcasm as a means of protecting themselves and goofy interactions offer a grounded and tender look at young love.
Fraser Allen Hogg’s performance of Dylan was delightfully dorky and touchingly natural to witness, coming across at times like a Scottish Michael Cera with his strange meanderings. The tongue in cheek jokes at actors and creative types were so real I was cringing at myself at the jokes while laughing at their relatability. The character of Dylan offers an everyman in the sense that his insecurities, his need for validation and quest for love are deeply intrinsic to everyone.
Lorna Panton’s Ros was tender in the right moments and brash when needed, her constant seeking for her true happiness felt genuine, and those moments of vulnerability struck a deep chord with the audience, you could certainly feel the change in atmosphere during those moments. The play handled tragedy well without being too gratuitous, which with the subject matter, was much appreciated. Ros’s depiction as the cool but secretly dorky girl edges a little into ‘manic pixie dream girl’ but ultimately comes across as someone genuine and in need of stability.
Watching Ros and Dylan’s relationship through non-linear snippets was a nice change of pace in storytelling. With the opening scene being the end of the relationship, we are left to slowly piece together how it all came to an end. Transitions between scenes were slick and always left the audience eager to learn the next part in the story.
My only critique is for a show that focused very highly on the naturalism between the two characters, there was one scene that felt at odds with the rest of the show. While a nice break from the intense and raw emotions being laid before us, it just didn’t quite gel with the rest of the show.
Overall, I left this show with a deep sense of catharsis and a need to tell my loved ones just how important they are to me, so I can say with confidence that it left a lasting impression on me.