Perhaps I am a Vincent Van Gogh nerd who knows everything there is to know about the famous artist, or perhaps this show didn’t really tell us anything the average art enjoyer did not know already. He was very close to his brother, he never married, and he cut off his ear due to poor mental health – these feel like the rudimentary basics of this post-impressionist’s life.
Furthermore, the title of this performance leads us to believe that this might be an insight into the lost loves of Van Gogh, and the failed romances that may have driven him to the eventual ending of his life. However, such relationships were only skirted over briefly, and just when it felt the deep dive into an exploration of heartbreak was coming, one-man-act Daniel Anderson would burst into an operatic rendition of some 70s anthems.
Despite sporadic interruptions, his voice was faultless. ‘Orange Coloured Sky’ by Nat King Cole and ‘Roxanne’ by The Police were notable, but the whole set was sung expertly. The songs did, at times, feel slightly irrelevant and unnecessary to the performance, despite being remarkably performed. The show is of the ‘Cabaret and Variety’ category so, naturally, there is a musical theatre element necessary, but the timings and chosen songs felt a little odd and conflicting to the storyline of the production.
The re-imagined pop, rock and Belgian theatre tunes seemed out of place in this small, intimate venue with Van Gogh artwork projected onto the ceiling. Given the modesty of the venue, Anderson’s piercing eye contact while singing was a bit unnerving, but pianist Germaine Gamiet was masterful in his continuous backing.
However, setting aside some startlingly loud musical numbers, this show does manage to capture the beauty of Van Gogh’s artwork and the torment of his life, tracing his life from Paris, to Amsterdam, to finally the Saint-Paul asylum in Saint-Rémy where he painted his finest works.
The finale of the performance was a beautiful cover of ‘Vincent’ by Don McLean which, unlike the other musical numbers, felt extremely apt and largely moving, closing an insight into a great but troubled man.
Vincent – His Quest to Love and Be Loved is on at theSpace Triplex – Studio at 2:05pm on 12 August only. Tickets are available here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/vincent-his-quest-to-love-and-be-loved.
Image provided to The Student as press material.