After the success of f**king legend, creative Olly Hawes returns with his new one man show, Old Fat F**k Up, a show that tackles toxic masculinity, fatherhood and feeling unfulfilled as you reach middle age.
Old Fat F**k Up tells the story of a middle-aged father of two, with a third child on the way. He is exhausted, buckling under devastating financial pressure and just wants to be able to enjoy a little time in peace without a million questions from his children. Olly is quick to emphasize that this is a work of fiction but later reveals that elements are partly autobiographical.
Throughout the show, we see his frustration and turmoil grow as the complexities of modern life take their toll, especially when he and his family pluck up the courage to visit his parents to see if they will lend him money so they can live in their tiny apartment. A series of events unfolds, culminating in the man committing an act of violence against his son, leading to enormous guilt from the man’s perspective.
The setting for this performance is very stripped down, with Olly, dressed in blood soaked clothes, parading back and forth along a catwalk style stage with the audience on either side. There’s no big production element here, and the artist keeps narrating as if we were watching a six-part Netflix series.
Olly is undoubtedly an emotional and captivating storyteller, and at times it really feels like we’re watching the much-anticipated Netflix series. He vividly paints the scene and describes each location and the events that take place. He also has a unique performance style, combining storytelling with confessional and stand-up, but it can sometimes confuse the message he’s trying to convey.
The show is partly comedic but mostly dark, and at times incredibly disturbing. While the production is incredibly poignant in places, it falls a little flat elsewhere. There’s a particular scene where Olly is in the pub with a friend and imagines the kind of conversation he’d like to have, where he says goodbye to toxic masculinity and really opens up about what’s bothering him. But what actually happens is that he continues to bottle up his feelings.
This leads to a scene where Olly has seemingly turned his life around – he’s lost weight, picked up the Netflix series and is making big money. But it’s soon revealed that this is all part of a very strange sex dream (which also involves AOC – US politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez), and we’re left watching Olly in his underwear, complete with prosthetics hanging out. While this made the audience laugh, it personally felt like a “shock factor” for the sake of it, rather than successfully conveying a message.
Old Fat F**k Up covers some incredibly important themes, especially in this day and age, and while there were elements that were really engaging and thought-provoking, it didn’t quite hit the mark overall. The pub scene could have been a pivotal turning point in this piece and perhaps should have ended there (albeit with a slightly different outcome).
What should be noted is that Olly is indeed a very brave performer, and often chilling in his portrayal of a man who is truly in his right mind. Switching between using a microphone and not is a very effective way to showcase different characters and emotions, and he does this effortlessly. There were times when it was truly breathtaking to watch his frustration build. While it’s not perfect (but then again, what is in life?), Old Fat F**k Up definitely creates an uncomfortable but important conversation around toxic masculinity.
Old Fat F**k Up will be at Riverside Studios for 25 shows until December 20 – remaining tickets available here. Olly’s Original Show F**king Legend will also be playing a limited number of shows – see dates and availability here.
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Disclaimer: Gift tickets in exchange for an honest review
Content Warnings: Strong language, sexual references, depictions of violence, discussion of mental health and the use of adults and physical prosthetics
