It’s a rare thing when the venue is more intriguing than the performance. This one-woman show is performed on the top deck of a converted vintage bus, and the fairy light décor is a twee but welcome distraction from a poorly written monologue on Lolly Jones’ relationship with Facebook.
The show is hampered by Jones’ writing style, which constantly dips into long-winded, purple prose descriptions of her friends, lovers, and co-workers.
The piece’s central theme is intriguing and certainly relevant—Facebook doesn’t make people happier and more connected—it makes us more anxious and isolated. However, the show is hampered by Jones’ writing style, which constantly dips into long-winded, purple prose descriptions of her friends, lovers, and co-workers. The writing is tremendously at odds with Jones’ personal, real-life subject matter and her casual delivery. The monologue sounds like a blog post read aloud, and it simply doesn’t work onstage.
Jones has a warm, likeable stage presence, but the version of her presented in the show isn’t all that appealing. She tries for snark and sass while seeming desperate for attention and audience approval. Jones may well be aiming for the human equivalent of a Facebook wall post, but the overall effect is just grating.
The majority of the piece is wandering and uncertain, but Jones does wrap things up neatly and satisfyingly. She could make for a very pleasant raconteur, but she needs better material to work with. She’s got the structure for a meaningful and funny story, but the piece feels overwritten and stilted. With so much available at the Free Fringe, this show simply isn’t worth the time. The bus is pretty great though.
