‘So You’ve found me’ did not start on the right note. When a guy comes on stage, it feels as if he is playing with pretence, not honesty, and that such energy is not sustainable. The narrative starts with a story about a Tinder date, and one felt that this experience is merely trying to be relatable and won’t feature anything profound about our collective subjective human experience. Sam Moore, the playwright, and Moah Alfred Pantano, the director, proved this early assessment wrong in every possible way. Luis Donegan Brown is incredible in the show.
Solo shows have a high risk of going wrong in a beat, so the performance, script, and tempo must work together to keep the audience engaged and all of the artists seemed to be sensitive and aware of this. ‘So You’ve…’ celebrates the life of a queer person and their relationship with family, friends, first love, current ‘tinder date’ and most importantly, their relationship with themself. It is an hour of vulnerability, joy and celebration of the human experience!
The experience was heightened due to the venue of the performance. ‘So you’ve found me’ happened on the first floor of Lion and Unicorn Bar. It feels like a secret doorway to ‘grab a drink and climb through a covert staircase for some truth about the social experience of people partying downstairs!’ In one of the most remarkable moments in the play, the lights go out as the protagonist is making love in a bar. Being where we were, it felt familiar and hyper-real.
While narrating a few events that do not directly relate to the protagonist’s experiences, the play loses focus. Lots of material that make up for the private space of the protagonist is not used. The lights and sounds were not explored to their full potential. The play can find a lot of breathing moments if the design and space are explored further.
My affinity for the play was re-assured by its ending. In it, it is proposed that human identity is not in the potential but kinetic energy, in a human’s potential to shape their future and not by what has been. It is philosophy, humanity and self-love! This play will leave you more sensitive, and awed and if not that, it will be therapeutic. Go watch ‘So You’ve found me’ whenever and wherever it happens next!
Reviewer: Akshay Raheja
Reviewed: 8th October 2022
North West End UK Rating: ★★★
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