Wrestling with life

0 Jericho’s message is mind-expanding

past her hulking onstage technical operator, heavybreathing in a leather mask and representing the full weight of online viciousness; explains the fantasy, consumer-friendly violence of the WWE wrestling brand by invoking Roland Barthes, and comparing the company’s founder Vince Mcmahon to a modern day Martin Luther. She accurately navigates the blurred border between news and entertainment, and the fact that our need for narrative coerces us to pretend the future is mapped, for better or worse.

It’s gripping, entertaining and mind-expanding in its message – but like a flash, 15

minutes before its advertised running time of an hour, the show is over with a slice of concluding monologue that feels like it’s just getting going. It appears as though Malaprop have devised a proper state-of-the-planet show, and committed it to the stage with the full ending still to be written. Of course, this may not be the case, but either way it’s hard not to feel a twinge of disappointment at a show which crackles with power and potential for 45 minutes – yet still, despite the finale, it manages to contain so much more than most other shows on the Fringe will present.

DAVID POLLOCK

Until 26 August. Today 1:10pm.