Ian C Douglas reviews The Remains of Logan Dankworth at the Nonsuch Studios
You might have mixed feelings about Mr Dankworth. That famed political commentator who rose to glory in the white-hot days of the Brexit referendum. Remember his controversial appearance on Question Time? Those provocative columns in The Pugilist? Then the sensational discovery that he was not who he said he was?
If you are now struggling to recall Logan Dankworth, it is of course, because he is a fiction. The latest persona of poet Luke Wright. And yet after a few minutes you may think he is real. Luke’s writing has such authenticity, it’s as if you are there with Logan, on the green outside Parliament. Farage, Cameron, Johnson, Corbyn, Rees-Mogg: the famous names drop in and out of the story. But this is more than how one ambitious writer climbed to fame and fortune on the backs of Brexiteers and Remainders.
It's the classic Faustian deal, as Dankworth’s success drags him, not so reluctantly, away from his wife and daughter. And they have complex needs of their own. What will Dankworth opt for in the end, a celebrity career or family life? And if you think you can guess that resolution you may be in for a shock.
You’ll need to make your own mind up on Logan Dankworth.
Luke Wright might not be a household name (yet), but he is a veteran of performance art with a stack of prestigious awards. He’s worked with John Cooper Clark, the Libertines, even David Soul.
Anyone who can stand up in front of an audience, alone and with no special effects, and still keep said audience in the palm of their hand, must be a talent worth seeing. And Luke is just that. His script is superbly written: sensitive, funny, dramatic, touching, insightful. He performs his words par excellence. Character voices, delivery, facial expressions, all ring true. Yet never once pausing for a sip of water. Nor does he spoon feed you conclusions. You’ll need to make your own mind up on Logan Dankworth.
Nonsuch Studios could be seen as Nottingham’s Fringe or Off-Broadway. Its indie, offbeat, low-tech productions fill a gap in the city’s cultural life that the bigger theatres are missing. Awesome.
The Remains of Logan Dankworth are a prime example. An engrossing, thought-provoking commentary on our times wrapped up in a heartfelt exploration of love versus ambition. Five stars.
The Remains of Logan Dankworth starring Luke Wright played at the Nonsuch Studios on Jan 23rd 2023.
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