Flesh Eating Tiger

“Like a hungry tiger chasing his own tail,” screams Woman at her male equivalent only ever known as Man, in this adaptation of the play by Amy Tofte.

The version we see is directed and adapted by Jason Cavanagh. We’re immediately faced with a supposedly emotionally underdeveloped, naked man on stage who is verbally torn to shreds by Woman. We’re also confronted with the very worst side to humanity when it is combined with alcohol. Man engages Woman, we then watch their struggle to work out a relationship amidst addiction, all the while psychoanalysing each other with mixed results.

This is a play within a play. The actor’s snap in and out of playing their characters, they address the audience; they’re playful, serious, sultry and unpredictable. My favourite element would have to be how the Blank Man brings it all together. You never see his face, he plays soothing guitar most of the time, clunks around furniture, gets in the way on purpose, and cuts the tension in a scene at just the right moment with just the right prop. Having now seen all the good bits of both actors, and a noose, a leather balaclava and a cricket bat have all come into play, we’re still a bit confused about whose more the tiger, but at the very least are left incredibly intrigued.

The Owl And Cat Theatre to 7 Mar