Review: Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen at the Playhouse, Sydney Opera House

Review by Lauren Donikian

It’s a thin line between your inner monologue and a stand-up set, but what happens if both of those things were playing out in front of an audience. That’s the vibe of ‘Feeling Afraid As It Something Terrible Is Going To Happen’. In this one man show we learn about this character’s dating life, his anxieties, and the overwhelming thoughts of killing his ‘perfect’ partner. 

The stage is set as if you were at an open mic night, a red curtain as the backdrop, a microphone attached to a stand is placed centre stage, and a small wooden stool is just off to the side. The only difference is there are single LED lights scattered around the stage and in the curtain. If you look at it front on it’s almost a full circle. Pop music is playing on entry and the energy in the room is high. Whilst the stage is very simple, Lighting Designer, Elliot Griggs and Sound Designer Max Pappenheim clearly worked together to create moments during the performance that the audience could easily place. For example, a whoosh sound plays as the lights change onstage to a purple colour to convey that the character is now performing at an open mic, rather than just addressing the audience. This character is always ‘on show’ or ‘performing’, but in that moment the lights are brighter, and he is ‘on’. Using this affect raises the stakes in the performance and takes the audience on the journey. There is another moment where there is almost a black out except for a spotlight on the character as he is on the phone. Showing that this is a moment where he is just going about his day, not performing. One of the only moments that he feels free to truly be himself. 

Written by, Marcelo Dos Santos ‘Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen’ is a fast paced comedy, that allows it’s protagonist to feel it all and not address any of it. It’s edge of your seat comedy, where you are the anxious one. In the same vein as ‘Fleabag’ the lead does not have a name and is incredibly flawed. He is unsure, feels unworthy and uses humour as a crutch. We have a front row seat to his life, as his star starts to shine bright, he finds a way to bring it crashing down.  Is he a likeable character? I’m not sure, but he is a relatable one. 

Samuel Barnett stars in this 65-minute performance switching up his accent to play his ‘perfect American boyfriend’, and many other characters. His accent work was outstanding and changing from character to character was incredibly fluid. Subtle movements like placing his foot on the floor when he was playing the perfect American was so grounding compared to the protagonists’ character who was always on the go. Barnett is so believable as this character, whether it is a light or dark moment, his talent shines through. It was a joy to watch him play a character that is so openly gay and in the beginning stages of love. 

I enjoyed this performance but want to make clear that it is not a one hour stand up set. It is a play, so the setups are different, there are less punchlines, but the laughs are there. Overall, it’s an exploration of lust, love and how we handle ourselves along the way. It’s one of those shows that isn’t afraid to show you just who it is – even though the title wouldn’t suggest that. It is a bold performance that takes anxiety by the hand and gives it a big sloppy kiss. 

Image Credit: Daniel Boud