Unapologetically passionate and real, Fandemonium is a reminder to embrace the things we love
Martyr Theatre Company provide a humorous, engaging story in the form of Fandemonium. A tale of teenage obsession and rebellion, the period setting does nothing to prevent it from feeling like a relatable piece of theatre about loving something, or someone, so much that it consumes you.
Mirren is a character all too familiar. Though her obsession with the famous British poet Lord Byron is not necessarily something everyone can immediately connect with, her passion and enthusiasm for him and his work certainly are. Mirren is under the impression that Byron has been answering her letters and sending her coded messages that reveal he wishes to marry her, so she does the only sensible thing and walks six hours to Galashiels to hear him read his work and later, marry him.
On her journey to meet the man she reveres, Mirren comes across many colourful figures and slowly begins to question who Byron really is and the nature of her feelings towards him. While this is a story about fan culture and the intense teenage emotions that often accompany it, it also explores the relationship between a girl and her father, a parent she believes has no understanding of her special interest and simply does not get her. So, a classic teenager basically.
However, while the play often veers towards comedy, there is real sweetness in their interactions and in the affection he has for his daughter. Although he openly admits that he does not fully understand her, it never stops him from trying, and as the story progresses we see that, in truth, he really does see her. As he follows Mirren on her long journey, we witness the love he has for her and the lengths a parent will go to not only to protect their child, but to connect with them too.
One thing Fandemonium highlights particularly well is that the concept of fandom is by no means new. It stretches back centuries, as far as William Shakespeare and beyond. As long as there has been art, there have been people who connect deeply with it. The intensity with which people form those connections is not unique to the 21st century or even the 20th. Humans have always longed for escapism, connection and something to hold onto when the wider world offers little comfort.
Mirren’s interest in Byron is partly born from grief, the loss of her mother and a longing to feel grounded, but it also comes from somewhere much deeper. It may have started there, but the driving force is passion. A love for something that makes us feel connected and understood, something that moves us so intensely that we devote ourselves to it. Mirren’s story feels universal because, in one way or another, we have all been that person. Whether it be poetry, sport, technology, science or theatre, everyone has something that lights a fire within them and brings them to life. Mirren is a reminder of how special and intimate that feeling can be when we are young and how important it is to hold onto that joy as we move through life. Her dedication and enthusiasm are genuinely inspiring.
None of this would have been conveyed without the talents of Rebecca Russell, who plays Mirren. She leaps off both page and stage, driven by a performance filled with passion and sincerity, and it is clear how deeply she connects with the character. Her comic timing is also impeccable, knowing exactly how to land a line in a way that creates laughs beyond the words themselves.
A cast of three, the other actors each take on multiple roles with distinct flair and personality. Puppetry is also used effectively to support the demands of the limited cast. My only note is that some of the puppetry might have landed more successfully comedically had the performers been slightly more concealed.
Caden Scott is particularly memorable as Mirren’s father, capturing the weary Scottish dad archetype with great ease while also conveying genuine warmth and affection, making the relationship feel believable and heartfelt. Meanwhile, Magnus Kelly delivers hilarious micro expressions as the living portrait of Byron, and his portrayal of struggling artist Sir Walter Scott brings plenty of laughs. However, the standout among his characters is the Hermit. The exchanges between him and Mirren, as they shared their passions, are some of the play’s most engaging and entertaining moments.
It is also worth noting that the staging is one of the funniest aspects of the production. Frames are used to create living portraits of characters such as Byron, while puppets and a spinning wheeled chair standing in for the Hermit’s solitary rock provide several delightfully inventive comic moments.
Overall, this play has a lot to say and proves surprisingly moving. It is absolutely funny, but more than anything it serves as a reminder that we all need to nourish ourselves with the things we love and that it is perfectly okay to be a little bit crazy about them sometimes.