Simon Ward reviews James Rowland Dies At The End Of The Show at Camden People’s Theatre

Although this is the third part of James Rowland’s Songs of the Heart Trilogy, there is no requirement to have seen the previous parts to make sense of this charming, witty and thoroughly engaging show. As the final part, it is perhaps fitting that the theme is our utimate finality – death itself. A mostly bare and tech-free stage has a countdown clock on the back wall – time is literally ticking away. There is a certain amount of New Year’s Eve-style jeopardy as we realise that everything has to be done by the time the clock makes it way to 00:00. But we are in safe hands. It may seem ad hoc and off the cuff, but Rowland is an accomplished storyteller and we are guided through expertly. There is even time for some light hearted banter with some latecomers.

This is a personal, confessional piece. Rowland appears in a hospital gown, thankfully in some sheer pants to cover the inevitable gape at the back. He is vulnerable but also excited to share his thoughts and the music that he loves in the short time left to him. Indeed, music is crucial to the piece – it is almost a Desert Island Discs and it would be a great addition to have a list of the featured works. Rowland weaves his own personal reminiscences and anecdotes while relaying nuggets of fascinating information He tells us about the Voyager spacecraft, then Carl Sagan and the disc he made to send into space on them to represent humanity and its achievements. There is the story of Robin Hood related as though it were a Sunday evening family drama. Whilst the Robin Hood characters and plotlines are familiar from childhood stories and movies, Rowland also throws in a few more challenging historically revisionist points about the relative merits of Prince John and King Richard. This journey is not sugar-coated. Likewise, when he is descrbing the romantic love story of Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan, he doesn’t neglect to mention the fact that Sagan actually had a wife, Linda Salzman, at the time. Life is to be cherished, but it is messy, and we are all fallible. The audience is utterly captivated throughout – Rowland’s energy and enthusiam are infectious.

This is a heartwarming and thought provoking show. Rowland is a sure-footed and welcoming host – his style may verge on the chaotic as paper notes are tossed across the stage, but he knows exactly where he is going. It’s an impressive achievement to make a show about death that will leave you grinning from ear to ear. Rowland will be touring this and the the other shows in the trilogy around the country until the end of May – get a ticket if you can.

James Rowland Dies At The End Of The Show runs at the Camden People’s Theatre until Saturday 25th January