Kevin, King Of Egypt: Brilliantly Portrayed Delusions Of Grandeur ~ Adelaide Fringe 2019 Review

[COMEDY/SPOKEN WORD ~ AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE ~ GBR] Live From Tandanya – Tandanya Arts Café, Fri 22 Feb. With swagger, bravado and way too much mania for his own good, Kevin, introduces himself to us and then to his story. The plot is definitely not linear, which suits the subject material; manic delusions about Kevin ‘going home’ to reclaim his Egyptian throne, after all he is Ramses II, the King of Egypt. Rob Gee, author, multi-award winning slam poet and one man show dynamo, takes us through Kevin’s recent experiences. This is spoken word poetry mixed with a theatre of manic energy as Kevin plays it out. The writer has plenty of clinical experience of the subject matter, having worked as an RN working in Mental Health (in the UK). We’re introduced to the hospital review system and why a single patient might feel just a little overwhelmed in front of a cast of thousands, to the legal review system into Kevin’s ongoing treatment order and we all understand why, when the opportunity for escape presented itself, off he went. This adventure, without wallet, keys or phone (all locked up in the ward) shows how he gets by nonetheless and how others are integrated into his delusional thinking, at least until he’s back again. It’s heart-wrenching to see the confusion, the powerlessness and the mismatch of power for someone who is in the middle of such a delusion. Anybody with experience in the mental health system will be able to relate to this and in this day and age where such problems should be de-stigmatised – it’s a worthwhile piece of theatre, to get an insight into some of the problems and issues and to understand how the system works and similarly its potentials for dysfunction. Kevin is larger than life, brilliantly portrayed and a great experience – highly recommended! 4 stars Clayton Werner Kevin, King of Egypt continues at Live From Tandanya – Tandanya Arts Café, at various times, until Sun 17 Mar. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 or adelaidefringe.com.au. Click HERE to purchase your tickets. #ADLfringe