Kubrick³ @ Pleasance Courtyard

The con man who impersonated Stanley Kubrick for many years tells his story as truthfully as he can manage.

Review by Kayleigh Donaldson | 10 Aug 2013

There are some stories so ridiculous and unbelievable that they just have to be true. New Diorama Theatre’s latest offering, based on the true story of Alan Conway, a con artist who successfully pretended to be the reclusive Oscar-winning director Stanley Kubrick for three years despite looking absolutely nothing like him, is a perfect example. The play, directed by David Byrne (not that one), acts as Conway’s final show-stopping number from beyond the grave as well as his beleaguered son’s last chance to find out who his father really is. Accompanied by three other Conways, who act as his ensemble, Alan sets out to tell the truth, with bits added in.

The cast have spot-on comic timing and bags of energy. The theatricality of Conway’s story-spinning slowly moves from humorous to desperate as he continues to pull lie after lie out of his head in an effort to keep the attention and admiration of others focused on himself. Even after he’s been well and truly revealed as a rather pathetic individual, he continues to spin.

Conway was a pathological liar, so it makes sense that the play of his life be as confusing and full of holes as his life was. While the production is breezy, slickly directed and often very funny, it doesn’t entirely satisfy as a result. The Alans (none of whom look, speak or act like the actual Conway, who is shown in a video at the end, but that makes sense given his own remarkably successful non-impersonation of Kubrick) spin stories and lies so obvious it’s hard to believe anyone was ever convinced by them. This definitely has comedic value but there doesn’t seem like there’s much to gain from this hoop jumping. It seems like a bit of a waste to take such a compelling character and not even bother to try and decipher him. That may have been the point but it still leaves one wanting more.

 

Kubrick³. Pleasance Courtyard, until 26 Aug (not 13th), 19:10, 50 mins, £10.50/£9.50. https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/kubrick3