𝐔𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃
𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐚𝐝𝐞
𝟏𝟑 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

Troy Rogers is a very brave man. In his one man show, he bares his soul to all and sundry, telling his life story. It is a sad and harrowing tale of his upbring. Commencing with a song to his mother and father, wailing the fact that he was an unwanted and an abandoned child. It is a raw cry from the heart, filling the small venue space, with its uncomfortable chairs, which, like the subject matter, telegraph to the audience that we, as listeners, are in for a traumatic and tortuous ride.

Dressed conservatively in a frock coat, he employs a guitar to accompany himself in several songs which fuel the story, demonstrating musical talent, singing in his untrained voice, as he bemoans his victim state, addicted to heroin, pre-birth. He regales us with anecdotes of having his first beer, aged seven and taking drugs from aged nine.

Before he reaches double figures, he is saved by his grandmother who takes him and his brother, Kelvin, in and raises them. His Nan comes across as his great guiding light, his guardian angel who puts him on the road to his personal rectitude. The way is not smooth however, as his parents re-appear, always with detrimental results.

As he grows, he realises that he is becoming his father, but he is wise enough to comprehend that, for him, this is not the way of his world. He struggles with his addictions and comes out the other end, cleansed, declaring to the audience that he has been drug-free for four years. This receives a round of applause from the assembled, so engrossed are they with his tale.

Painful, raw, inspiring, sad, redemptive, triumphant, truthful, poignant, poetic, compassionate, healing and resilient are all words that come to mind when thinking of this story. Troy learns to love himself and to employ theatre and drama as his own unique therapy. From being a victim, he becomes his own hero, converting his highway to salvation into artistic endeavour.

Where to now for Troy? This reviewer wishes him luck on his journey and trusts it will be less rocky and more tranquil that what has transpired before.

Eugene Ragghianti - All About Entertainment