The Worst of Scottee @ Assembly Box

Narrated through a camera placed in a photo booth, The Worst of Scottee is oddly reminiscent of a confessional Skype conversation with a very good friend. Through this, he showcases his singing abilities, as well as his talent for telling a story. 

As a performance, The Worst of Scottee is daring and yet quite vulnerable. The tales he tells seem to be in no particular order, although they seem to go from bad to worse. His rendition of Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien (No Regrets) is particularly moving. It's hard to not be moved by it all. What's more, the intimacy of the venue – the proximity to the action – turns the experience into something very personal. 

Furthermore, his personal narrative reflects a lot of issues with our society; with the way certain groups of people are treated. All along the way through his tale, it feels as though the seemingly inevitable turn of events could have been prevented if someone had just stopped to ask "Are you ok?" as opposed to accusing him of various things. Perhaps a little compassion for the person we expect can make it out of a difficult situation could alter the course of things completely.

Admittedly, this show is probably not what most people would call a "five star show." However, its presentation and the issues it forces you to think about like poverty or discrimination – issues bigger than Scottee himself –put it right up there.