I worried I might miss some details in Louise Reay’s show Eraserhead, the poster and title implied this show was heavily influenced by the David Lynch film and, well, watching Eraserhead* the film is still on my to-do list. However, Louise was not able to actually put on her original show. In fact, Louise was not able to put on the replacement show she intended, or the next. Or, I believe, the next. In a single year, Louise has had to write multiple hours of comedy. Why? Because she had to write an hour that could be approved by her lawyers.
The last time I saw Louise perform was at her show Hard Mode, a show I found a challenging watch and review due to the subject matter. It turns out I was not the only one to feel somewhat shaken over Hard Mode. The story of why Louise is being sued and by whom has been covered before and, as she does not give any detail the case in her show, beyond noting that she is being recorded and has to read from an approved script, nor will I.
Louise Reay’s Eraserhead is billed as an exploration of “issues of free expression, censorship and oppression in modern Britain.” Only, ha-ha, due to legal proceedings Louise is unable to freely explore the themes of censorship. This is not the barrier it could be and simply forces to Louise to come at her current situation from another angle, focusing on where she is rather than how she got there.
Currently living at home with her ‘obsessed’ mother, who occasionally pops in via video link to reassure Louise and deliver some home truths, Louise shares her new desire for motherhood and why it feels like an embarrassing admission. It is an interesting subject to address, it seems to be deeply unfashionable to air any maternal desire – even comedians with kids seem more comfortable describing what little shits their kids are (I blame the parents) than praising them or simply omitting them from their material. What entails is an exploration of what Louise hopes is in her future and let’s just say… it’s not easy to be vulnerable with a puppet, but Louise manages it.
While the show might not be what Louise had envisaged, the result is an engagingly raw and ramshackle show that allows Louise to showcase her quick wit and charm.
*For some people not seeing any David Lynch films is a big deal, in case anyone is worried about my Lynchian culture, I have seen Twin Peaks, Fire Walk with Me and (under duress) Mulholland Drive. I wish I had stopped at series one of Twin Peaks.
