Stunning the Punters by George Dillon

I was only two years old when Brighton’s own George Dillon premiered this trio of short theatrical stories 26 years ago, so I was very happy to get the opportunity to see the renowned performer revisit the work.

Stephen Berkoff’s Master of Cafe Society was a surreal, eloquent piece about a misanthropic, troubled actor; Sproat’s Stunning the Punters a fierce delve into a memorable racist graffiti splurge while Dillon’s own adaptation of Dostoevsky’s The Dream of a Ridiculous Man was a moving, sprawling philosophical masterclass.

Dillon was superb throughout, truly embodying these wildly different but similarly turbulent characters, utterly capturing your attention and exhibiting an impressive technical proficiency. Words leapt out in loud bursts or quieter, deep contemplative tones which were sonorous and funny. Dillon’s performance was alternately brittle, blistering and beguiling and I highly recommend looking out for any future performances.

The Old Market, 14 July 2016

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