(Solo show)
A one man storytelling show, comprising ten short stories about life, love and the importance of having your own eagle. The show was premiered at the Carriageworks Theatre in April 2007 as part of Ladyfest Leeds and toured the Canadian Fringe circuit over the following Summer.
Be Prepared
By Jeanette Stewart, The StarPhoenix
Published: Monday, August 06, 2007
Be Prepared
Movable Feast Productions
**** (4 Stars)
Who needs a life coach or a therapist with storyteller Matthew Bellwood in town?
As he expounds at the start of his show, nothing big or important has happened to him his entire life. Yet, he looks at everyday events with a poet’s eye, searching them for truths to share with his audience.
In his hour-long show (which seemed far shorter), he stands on stage alone and delivers stories that come out like stream-of-consciousness poetry. Some are brief, some longer, but each is about nothing and everything all at the same time.
Bellwood only brought a few props from the UK with him, perhaps to prove the authenticity of his stories, and for the humour that comes from bringing a mechanical hand through customs.
He also does something special in explaining his sexuality. The way he lays his homosexuality out at the start helps demonstrate how relationships – no matter who they are between – are all very much the same.
A special spark shines out of this gifted performer. Bellwood has a remarkable gift in his ability to take everyday situations and turn them into something profound without us even realizing until he’s finished his story, given his cheeky smile and a thumbs-up to the audience.
This show should be titled How to Be a Better Person. There is nothing but goodness shining through in this performance. His gift to us is a little bit of happiness and a reminder of just how fragile, beautiful and, yes, important our lives are, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem.
© The StarPhoenix 2007
Be Prepared
CBC Saskatchewan
****
4.5 stars out of 5
Written and Performed by Matthew Bellwood
Review by Jason Dubray
After going from Rob Gee’s show to Matthew Bellwood’s Be Prepared, I couldn’t help but think of the classic John Cleese line in Monty Python, “And now for something completely different.” Oddly enough, though, there are many similarities between the two shows. Both performers are from the UK, both introduce their pieces in an entertaining manner for the audience, both specialize in a form of performance literature, and both discuss the themes of relationships and drug use in their work. However, their performances are completely different, but their shows are both brilliant.
Matthew Bellwood is a storyteller and he tells the audience ten stories within an hour. He has a calm, mild-mannered, but matter-of-fact approach to telling his stories.
The first story is the same as the play’s title, “Be Prepared”. In this piece, Bellwood relates the scout motto of being prepared to a situation in his adult life where a taxi driver asked him if he is gay and propositioned him for oral sex. This driver basically treated him like an object, and assumed certain stereotypes about him because of his sexual preference. Bellwood then tells the audience how the encounter could have gone in a perfect world.
Bellwood then tells nine more stories about other personal experiences he has had. Some stories are humorous, some are serious, and others are quite touching. He discusses fears, fantasies of romances that are not to be, the euphoria of a romance that does happen, relations with his parents, a fable about a mistaken CD and one of his high school teachers who was treated poorly by himself and his peers, as well as interesting (and surprisingly uplifting) reflections on death. Bellwood is a wonderful writer, storyteller, and performer. For almost every story, Bellwood shares with the audience a prop or a note that is important to the story he has told.
Bellwood brings a quiet truth, and intimacy with his audience that won me over. The stories are both affective and effective. There was only one story that dragged slightly. It was of a more depressing nature than his other positive pieces, but nine out of ten great stories in an hour is not bad. I hope more people seek this show out. It is a quiet treasure.