Boxman

Overview

One (wo)man shows are a tricky beast — their success, regardless of the quality of the material, lives and dies on the shoulders of just one actor. Failing an absolute powerhouse performance, even the most fascinating of character studies can descend into one dimensionality. Local group If Theatre's new show, Boxman, starring young African-born actor Terry Yeboah, presents a captivating story that is only bettered by the nuances of the solo performance.

Written by Daniel Keene and directed by Matt Scholten, Boxman tells the story of a former child soldier and refugee whose life again hits rock bottom when he finds himself displaced, homeless and creating shelter from the discarded waste of strangers. Somehow this production manages to find hope and joy in the most desolate of situations, thanks to a character who refuses to let life crush his fighting spirit.

While it doesn't hurt that Boxman was created specifically for Yeboah by Keene, the actor does more than perform the part: he disappears into the role until he becomes the former child soldier.

With a cruelly brief two-day theatrical run, don't think twice.

Image via gasworks.org.au