Dickie Beau’s Showmanism is a curious, shape-shifting solo performance that invites audiences into a theatrical history lesson unlike any other. Initially commissioned by Deborah Warner as a concise history of the stage, the piece evolves into something looser and more introspective—an exploration of theatre not through facts and dates, but through bodies, voices, and Beau’s uniquely intuitive creative process.
Beau performs alone, but he is far from solitary. Pre-recorded voices—drawn from interviews with industry giants like Peter Sellars, Patsy Rodenburg, and Ian McKellen—are piped into the theatre, while Beau lip-syncs, contorts, and animates them into being. Each audio segment explores a different facet of theatre: its origins, its rituals, its demands. One woman speaks about Greek theatre and how our bodies act as vessels, as masks for sound to pass through. That idea recurs, quite literally, as Beau’s physicality becomes a site for others to take hold—he moves as if possessed, shifting from one identity to the next with fluid exaggeration, and often a touch of comic flair.
Over time, his own voice joins the mix, and Showmanism begins to open up. We start to hear Beau not just as a channel for others, but as a presence in his own right, guiding the tone of the piece more personally. There’s an underlying looseness to the structure—scenes slip between educational monologue and expressive movement—that gives the impression of an artist following instinct more than script. The result is a work that feels fluid and exploratory, more concerned with evoking thought than delivering fixed conclusions.
The set is clean and adaptable, offering Beau room to play and interact. Projections and clever use of lighting support the show’s shifting tone, while the sound design remains central—layered, constant, and rich. This isn’t a production that spells itself out; instead, it asks you to stay present, to piece things together, and to sit with moments that don’t immediately resolve. At times, this can be mentally demanding. You find yourself working to catch the thread of what Beau is trying to do, and while that effort is rewarding, it can also feel a little tiring.
Showmanism is not conventional, and it’s best approached without rigid expectations. It doesn’t follow a clear arc or offer easy answers, but that’s also what makes it interesting. It’s a unique, sometimes challenging experience that rewards openness. Instead of trying to pin it down, the best approach is to let it unfold—and enjoy what it chooses to give you.