Death of an Influencer ★★★

Death of an Influencer starts with two professional actors, Gerry and his partner Peter, unwinding backstage after finishing the first performance of their latest original theatre show, “Death of a Sail’s Man” – a comedic take on the classic Arthur Miller drama. Jadedness fills the dressing room – one gleaned from years of slogging around trying to find audiences for their small-scale theatre productions.

By contrast, an audience is something that Gerry’s son, Tyler, has no trouble finding. The 17-year-old is a social-media star, with an effortless 11 million followers hanging on the content he creates. Unexpectedly visiting backstage with big news that any aspiring actor, including Gerry, would be jealous of, writer Matt Anderson sets up a generational conflict that parallels that of Willy Loman and his son Biff. The clash between traditional craft, taking years for anything to come to fruition, and digital-age celebrity that appears offering instant fame and fortune.

With only three characters, the cast delivers good performances. George Drennan as Gerry effortlessly balances seriousness with a touch of warmth with a performance that draws you into the character’s dilemma and family struggles, offering a believable mix of insecurity and ego. Andrew Agnew plays Peter, a friendly and enthusiastic character, very much the peacemaker, who adds humour into the drama that is unfolding. Agnew nails his comedic timing and ultimately is something of a scene stealer anytime he is on stage. Lastly, Alexander Tait as Tyler shows potential as an upcoming talent, with his character that’s the easiest to connect with emotionally. A strong performance by Tait, who can convey various emotions subtly but wonderfully.

While the family dynamic is convincing, often the emotional peaks arrive too quickly, without the build-up that might have made them more affecting. While the script features characters all of whom are chasing a dream of growing their careers as performers, and yes, there is humour, which delivers some chuckles. The brevity of the running time means many ideas are sketched rather than deeply examined, and the relationships need more room to develop. The impact of online influencers and their impact on the arts, and the notion of familial jealousy when your offspring eclipse you with their success, are both juicy topics, but Matt Anderson’s script skims these too lightly.

From the direction to the production design, the piece is incredibly stripped back. The stage uses a tight black-and-white style with a desk clustered with props, a sink, chairs, and creepy comedy and tragedy masks hanging off the wall. This simple setup could yield the floor and the focus to performance, but director Edoardo Berto fails to inject the piece with a kinetic energy. Having more stage elements and using more props or choreographed elements would certainly improve the pacing and give the show more variety than what the bulk of the show ends up sadly being.

Humour and the efforts of the cast make Death Of An Influencer a watchable hour, but there is little to digest bar your pie or vegan sausage roll.