A Brief History of Evil

Review by Clare Sinclair | 09 Nov 2016

We all tell lies. If not to others, then occasionally to ourselves. And while some of these lies are for our own good, some prove to be more sinister. A Company of Wolves are currently touring their pared down two-man performance A Brief History of Evil, throwing an abstract view on the evil within the lies we tell.

Created and performed by Ewan Downie and Jonathan Peck, this is an intimate and – at times – uncomfortable performance. Not only do Downie and Peck direct questions and eye-contact at the audience, they powerfully struggle to contain their energetic movement within the small performance space. At only 45 minutes long, this is a short sharp burst of a production which builds from the moment the audience walk in the room.

The two men teeter between fighting and supporting each other; at times one representing the internal monologue of the other before switching back and forth. Peck’s physicality is mesmerising to watch – the tension clear within every inch of his body. While in a particularly memorable moment we see Downie showing complete vulnerability in sharp contrast to Peck’s grotesque overconfidence – both successfully demonstrate the polar ends of the spectrum, whether being lifelike or overtly over-the-top and it’s difficult not to identify with one or the other.

With some directorial assistance from Al Seed, the duo have concentrated on the physicality of the performance. The set design is minimal – a series of small boxes serve mainly to break some tension while they’re moved around the space while sound effects are purely a supporting character – background chatter tracks inviting a feeling of harassment, much like the babble of constant thoughts in our minds.

It takes particular skill to take such a conceptual performance and not only project the themes, but also to make it funny, something Downie and Peck manage well. Perhaps it’s because this offering from A Company of Wolves holds a mirror up to us all – it’s easy to see the humour and the tragedy in the everyday lies we tell ourselves just to get by. And perhaps it’s just a little comforting too.

http://companyofwolves.org.uk/projects/a-brief-history-of-evil/