Warhol: Bullet Karma, written and performed by Garry Roost and directed by Kenneth Hadley, is a one man show, exploring the life of Andy Warhol and Valerie Solanas’ attempt on his life. Covering his experience with art, obsession with fame and relationship with his mother, this is an original biographical drama, examining the life of an icon.
Roost’s research into Warhol’s life and his passion for his subject is very clear. This is an enthusiastic piece of theatre by someone who appreciates the different aspects of the Warhol, celebrating the creativity and world-changing aspects of his life, while not shying away from his insecurities and the things he did which hurt the people around him.
There are elements of the piece which are tragically relevant to today’s world, such as Warhol’s long wait for an ambulance, following his being shot by Solanas. References to Marilyn Monroe and JFK add context to the piece and create interest. Exploration of the famous for fifteen minutes philosophy and how this correlated with Warhol’s own need for recognition is interesting and adds another level to Roost’s portrayal.
Roost’s performance is very good, with body language and movement being used to add depth to story. Roost’s portrayal of strong emotions over shallow situations, contrasting with nonchalance over dramatic situations, add a richness to the characterisation of Warhol. His depiction of anxiety is particularly good with insecurities and self-hatred being tangible.
The show is set in four coloured squares with some of Warhol’s artworks depicted in the background. The setting is a nice nod to Warhol’s art, though the squares are static throughout the performance, with identical movement in all four boxes. It would be interesting to see the boxes utilised in different ways, for example, different characters speaking from different boxes, or alternative emotions being shown in different boxes to add some further depth and intricacy to the performance.
The piece is being shown as part of Brighton Fringe Streaming, and there isn’t an in-person performance of the show available as part of Brighton’s festival. Unfortunately, there are a number of audio issues throughout the recording and occasional issues with the visual. The distortion of the audio does make the show quite difficult to follow in places, which is a pity. As the performance features one actor playing numerous roles, and the pace of the portrayals is quite quick, it would help to have a high level of familiarity with the events being portrayed before watching the piece.
Warhol: Bullet Karma is an original biographical piece of theatre which delves into the life of a ground-breaking artist and the people around him. Exploring life in the Factory and all of the people who were a part of the scene, this unique portrayal of a unique artist is an interesting drama featuring biting wit, fabulous artwork and a high level of passion.
Warhol: Bullet Karma is being streamed as part of Brighton Fringe until 4th June 2023. Tickets are available here https://www.brightonfringe.org/events/warhol-bullet-karma-by-garry-roost-directed-by-kenneth-hadley/
Reviewer: Donna M Day
Reviewed: 8th May 2023
North West End UK Rating: