A Hidden Gem: The End of the World Review | Ellen Leslie
Trigger warning: this review contains discussion of suicide. If you require support, please contact the Samaritans on 116 123.
★★★★★
The Civil Rights movement. MeToo. George Floyd. These are just a few of the news stories that play on a screen as the audience enters the theatre for Destiny Faith Nelson’s one-woman show The End of the World.
It’s sickening to see back-to-back stories of racism and conflict, but it provides the perfect background considering the context of the play. Desiree is tired of being a strong Black woman. She doesn’t feel strong or brave, and is ready to end it all. But first, she has to write a suicide note. As a writer, she feels lots of pressure for it to be perfect. If only she could stop procrastinating for long enough to write it…
A combination of theatre, spoken word and digital culture makes The End of the World stand out from the myriad of solo shows at the Fringe. The spoken word segments are very well written and powerful. A particular highlight is when she argues with a man in the comments section of a Facebook video. It is staged as a boxing fight, complete with angry shouting and punchy jabs.
Nelson is an excellent performer. She has a great command of the stage and moves with an elegance that is captivating. She is very vivacious and I love her personality.
Suicide is discussed openly, as Desiree considers how she would kill herself. She does this in both a harrowing, and a tongue in cheek way, reminding us of the historical context behind Black men being hanged, while also pointing out she can’t let a White man take credit for killing her. It’s a very fitting statement for her character to make.
She also explains her complicated feelings about the world well. Despite the state of her country, she does love it: it’s her home and her ancestors have worked hard for her to have the life she has. Although she loves God, she questions why he allows such horrible things in the world. Each of the topics she covers flow well together, and Nelson mixes in the perfect amount of jokes to ensure that the play’s important messages shine through, but that it doesn’t become too dark. It is a skill to capture such nuance within these contentious topics, and Nelson must be commended for this.
The lighting is beautiful, and fits perfectly with the themes of the show. The stage is illuminated in blue when she talks about the beauty and wonder of the ocean, then in clinical bright light reminiscent of a doctor’s office during her therapy appointment.
The End of the World is a fantastic show, and I’d go as far as saying it’s one of the hidden gems at this year’s Fringe festival. It is a play that will resonate with anyone who struggles with the never-ending stream of bad news we are fed, and the guilt that comes from feeling anxious when other people are going through so much.
The End of the World will be performed at Gilded Balloon Patter House until 31 August as part of Edinburgh Fringe.
