Giant

Over the course of our lives, what talents or ambitions do we box up and stash away in the (sometimes literal) attic? We overlook the 'important' things and instead turn our attention to dead-end jobs, leaving home – you know, all that boring stuff. Does this sound a bit corny? Well, it is. The Human Zoo’s ensemble clown piece is told with plenty of heart but ultimately wanders through a story that just won’t relent.

Virtually the entire first half of this piece is a montage: we are swept through the life of Tommy (Freddie Crossley)—a sad clown—from birth up to his 21st birthday, as he prepares to leave home and get a job for a box manufacturer (it’s about boxing things up, remember). We fortunately dip in and out of his story for each of the actors in this six piece to perform their own solo story. There’s the underappreciated Julie (Tommy’s mum, played by Fleur Rooth), unpaid intern Alex (Florence O’Mahony) and knowing granny Margaret (Rosalind Hoy).

This is a tight, polished company with plenty of humour and chemistry, but Giant is a tired show which feels like an opportunity for the actors to show off their skills. They all convincingly sing or play instruments but the storyline is so cheesy you’ll need to slice off the rind. When Tommy finally realises the importance of family and artistic ability after an hour of complaining about “adulting”, let’s just pray that he keeps any further revelations to himself.