Tell me, what will you recount in the last hour of your life? What will be the events, the people, the things that spring to mind while you while away the time?
And this is the start and end point of Scaramouche Jones.
Powerful. Persuasive. Passionate. This one-man show starring Shane Richie is absorbing and thought-provoking. Playing the role of a tragic clown in a digital revival of Justin’s Butcher’s award-winning play, Richie takes us through his unfortunate life with such intimacy and honesty, the screen bleeds.
From the time of his bastard birth to a brothel whore, to a slave ship, to a snake-charmer’s side-kick, to being the plaything of Italian Royalty to being a grave digger in a concentration camp, Scaramouche Jones has bitterly lived through some of the most pivotal moments of the 20th Century.
And what now – to die?
But what is life, but a collection of recollections. Moments of time punctuated by trauma and love, hope and despair. When we go back to the beginning, it is our past that shaped our future. Who you are, is who you have been.
Deep and philosophical, Scaramouche Jones begs the question: what is important in life? And perhaps more critically: what should we remember as important?
Richie, for all his light entertainment credits, proves he is a serious contender: an impressive actor who can enrapture an audience.
Filmed in a London theatre, produced by Ginger Quiff Media and directed by Olivier Award-nominee Ian Talbot, this production screams quality. It may be streamed, but the experience is as raw as if you were sat in the stalls.
Streaming until Sunday 11th April 2021 at https://www.stream.theatre/home
Reviewer: Samantha Collett
Reviewed: 26th March 2021
North West End UK Rating: ★★★★