Review: FANBOY, VAULT Festival

He didn't always consider himself a nerd, but then Joe Sellman-Leava went to a screening of Star Wars as a child and that was it. He was bound to be a fan for life. He introduces himself with what he loves: Star Wars, yes, but also video games, Game of Thrones, Nintendo, The Muppet Christmas Carol. We could go on. He has an unabashed love for entertainment and pop culture. He is, in short, a Fanboy.

Sellman-Leava's piece was only a work-in-progress when the pandemic hit VAULT Festival in 2020. Since then, it's had a run at Edinburgh last summer and a subsequent tour, growing into a surprisingly introspective and revelatory exploration of the effects of fanship. From the birth and death of friendship over shared franchises to the horrors that come with over-analysis, he questions why we are so obsessed with these stories.

The articulate, flowing stream of consciousness starts with the writer and performer taking a nostalgic look at his childhood, going through his own personal experiences. An interference on his 90's mini television establishes a dialogue with his younger self, and his journey is properly launched. Directed by Yaz Al-Shaater, Fanboy is a convivial experience that celebrates and chastises fan culture in the same breath. Entertainment gives boundless enjoyment, it acts as an escape, but can tip into isolation and obsession, becoming toxic very quickly. He details how certain aspects of it tainted his life or made it better with precise writing and a studied delivery.

Fantastic at impressions and with deadpan switches between characters, Sellman-Leava reconfirms himself an exceptional actor - even though the show doesn't allow him to unleash his full acting potential like some of his previous ones did. He gives an overview of the joys and disappointments that come with being a fan as he discovers that political affiliations as well as the weight of current or personal events can mar a piece of work.

Part of the generation who grew up right when the internet gave the final push into a new way of experiencing fandoms, his observations can be rightfully cynical but his passion is profound. Fanboy is witty, entertaining, and unexpectedly thought-provoking. The team has another good one in their hands.

Fanboy runs at VAULT Festival until 12 March.

VAULT Festival has been left without a venue for next year. You can contribute to the #SaveVAULT campaign here.

To post a comment, you must register and login.