Angel in the Abattoir

Dave Florez’s monologue, performed by Phil Nichol, is a dark and sometimes gripping story. Although it starts with a cheerful Nichol introducing himself, smiling and throwing a sports bag around the audience, it very quickly turns horrific and gruesome. 

A Spanish boy, Angel, moves to Scotland and falls in love with Lorna, whom he can never have for himself. Lorna’s dad is a policeman who whores her out to local men and sexually abuses her. In order to protect her, Angel accidentally becomes her pimp.

Nichol is both a good actor and a strong character comedian; his portrayal of Angel occasionally slips into parody, with a touch of stock Mexican coming through, but he negotiates shifts between horror and levity well. 

While Angel has a typical innocence-to-experience storyline, Florez gives Lorna a hard time by denying her the innocence of a childhood. There are shades of Philip Ridley, with graphic descriptions of childbirth and Lorna fingering herself in public. 

Angel wants to be a hero. He sees adults as idols, and then has the illusion shattered, realising that he’s growing up in a dark and twisted world in which fathers abuse their daughters. It’s a sad tale well told. 

As a side note: a young man collapsed during the performance I saw. Nichol and his tech were exemplary in making sure he was okay, fetching help and asking the audience if we were happy that the show continued.