ALSO PLAYING

Ross Gaynor doesn’t just throw the kitchen sink at you in his oneman play I Am a Bird Now HHH (Theatre Upstairs until June 24). He throws everything that’s in the sink as well. It’s a young man’s exhausting exploration of humanity and the human psyche, with lots of rage, compassion, samesex love, domestic upheaval, drugs, drink and some do-it yourself surgery, all through the eyes of a male nurse who has experienced bombs and personal attacks. To show that the character is not all psyche there’s mention of a trial with Spurs, being a Shels supporter and larding the emotion with a final song – the third on the menu – that felt like it would never end. Gaynor is a talented actor and he has Karl Shiels as a fine director but he needs a ruthless script editor to help him focus his ideas better. The concept of show, don’t tell, never gets a look-in. He’s too keen to hop from one idea/trauma/costume to another. But he has stage presence and passion, perhaps too much. He might well take note of John Gielgud’s advice to a young actor who was overdoing it – ‘If you cry, the audience won’t.’