Simon Plotkin is Gerald Galbraith: Troubadour

A troubled troubadour delivers an edgy and occasionally stirring set

This article is from 2016.

We've all known or heard of a Gerald Galbraith. A tortured, bullying fool who has artistic ideas way above their station. This self-acknowledged troubadour's reasonably successful career as part of a children's Christian folk band was cut short when his partner Campbell simply vanished from the face of God's Earth. There's more to his disappearance than meets anyone's eye and Galbraith will get to that eventually but for now, he just has to soldier on and keep the artistic flame alive.

He does have a sort-of showbiz partner for this show, in the face of a deadpan and brow-beaten guitarist and puppet-master Scott, but this is really all about Gerald. Railing against Uncle Tam-ism Scottish stereotypes (though keen to promulgate the longstanding tenet that 'cunt' is a term of endearment here), he delivers his manifesto, a series of moral and ideological pillars that he will live his creative life by.

In the guise of Gerald, Simon Plotkin cuts a Rasputin-esque figure with an edgy stage presence that presumably isn't totally part of the character as it visibly settles down long before the 50 minutes is up. Troubadour is a sometimes stirring, occasionally troubling dissemination of one man's collapse in the face of public disdain and personal woe. Plotkin has the tension spot on and with a few extra gags could take Gerald into some fascinating places.

Just the Tonic at the Caves, until 28 Aug, 2.20pm, £5–£6 or Pay What You Want.