★★★⯪☆
If there is one word to describe Karen Hall’s Delusions and Grandeur, it is anxious. The one-hour solo cello comedy show is filled with anxiety, existential dread, and uncertainty. As she rightfully points out, that is the life of a professional musician. The human brain will forget around 80% of what it hears within 24 hours. So, she asks, what’s the point?
This may sound like a tough watch, but Hall expertly disarms the audience with her relaxed, charismatic delivery. She opens the show slowly eating a Subway sandwich, talking about whether Greggs or Subway is better. If there is one thing Hall is determined to do, it is to remove the elitism surrounding classical music. As a musician myself, this is a goal I admire. She takes the audience – many of whom were not immersed in the world of classical music – on a journey, moving us smoothly from moments of slapstick comedy to wittiness and sincere reflection.
The show revolves around Bach’s ‘Cello Suite No.1 in G major’, with each of the seven movements being played individually throughout the show. Hall’s playing is extremely expressive, but while watching her play the opening prelude, I was taken aback by how still she was. While her cello sang out, her body was completely still. However, as the show went on, and she spoke more about the struggles of being a musician and her own personal life, her performance on the cello got progressively more frantic. This was most notable in the 5th movement, which she sped through with a crazed, scratching tone. The transformation over the course of the show perfectly summarises the growing anxiety the audience feels as Hall explains to them in detail the struggles she has faced throughout her career.
Reflecting on life’s purpose, sexism in the music industry, and the pretentious elitism of classical music culture, Hall truly covers it all. For those who are not familiar with the musical world, it is eye-opening and disturbing. For those already aware, it is a bleak reminder. You cannot claim to walk out of this show without having felt something. Hall combines humour with reflection to create a masterful story.
