7 Day Drunk

An interesting idea lurks at the heart of Bryony Kimmings' show: are drunk artists more creative than sober ones? To explore this, Kimmings undertook an experiment earlier this year that harsher critics might accuse of pissing public money up against the wall.

With an Arts Council England grant, she underwent a seven day experiment, in which scientists increased her blood alcohol levels and then monitored her creative output. A select audience then judged the standard of her work. The week was filmed and 16 of the 31 finished pieces—monologues, songs, interactive routines, outrageous outfits—made it into the show.

It is fitting, really, as the whole show is as fun and inconsistent as a drunk friend. It shifts from sincere introspection to hilarity, anger to salaciousness with the deftness of a flaming sambuca. One moment she is doing a stand up routine; the next she is having a sobering conversation with her alcoholic flatmate.

At several points Kimmings flirts with actually exploring and undermining the dark, romantic image of the substance abusing artist. But then she reverts to just flirting with the audience.

Ultimately her experiment revealed that, like a pool player after two pints, her work got better the drunker she got. But she goes no further than this. She shies away from revealing what this means about the relationship between art and liver damage. There is a lack of confidence in this area, uncharacteristic for a show gestated in alcohol.

The ultimate message is muddied, leaving a nagging feeling that Kimmings has decided to dodge the big answers and just have a good time.