The Extraordinary Life of a Rat Racer by Stage Leftovers is a powerful depiction of mental health and, in particular, how intrusive thoughts can manifest themselves. Bringing to life those dark thoughts no one wants to talk about through the wonderfully over-the-top Arthur, while also depicting the unpredictable nature of humans through the clever metaphor of a collection of balloons, this surreal dark comedy will change the way you view and deal with your own intrusive thoughts!
The most striking thing about this show is the fact that when the audience enters Space Two at theSpace on the Mile, they are greeted with a plethora of balloons, all emblazoned with a collection of violent and intense phrases such as ‘ripping someone’s earrings off their ears’ or ‘how far can I kick that child’, which instantly gain the audience’s focus. As someone who did very little research into the show before walking into the theatre, this theatrical element did conjure a conversation with the people around me about what sort of show we were about to witness. However, as the action took place, the balloons started to make more and more sense. Not only is this a striking way to focus the audience, but the balloons themselves serve as a powerful metaphor for the tension these thoughts possess and suggest that there is only a slim margin until they pop and become a very serious problem for everyone. Based on Chiara Fumanti’s own experiences of mental health struggles and intrusive thoughts, the two-hander show follows the life of Eva (brought to life by Chiara herself), who is an Italian migrant and single mother who tries everything within her power to make ends meet, but her intrusive thoughts often stand in her way. These dark and, at times, frightening thoughts are personified in the character of the gregarious and larger-than-life Arthur (captured wonderfully by the director, Andrea Guerini), who almost encourages Eva to act on these frightening thoughts.
Despite being an avid fan myself of any form of a London adventure (the most recent of which you can read about here), I think we can all agree that traversing the London Underground can bring out the worst in people at the best of times, never mind if you have a constant mouthpiece of your darkest thoughts berating you as you travel. There is a sequence in the show where Eva takes the train to a job interview to become a teacher and is unfortunately joined by the part-clown, part-demon Arthur. She not only has to deal with the classic anxiety and stress of the Underground but is also forced to fight against a series of vivid yet frightening thoughts directed at the people she encounters. On top of all this, she is also running late for her job interview, which obviously adds pressure and therefore makes these violent ideas appear more prominent and intense. However, when she finally arrives at the school, she discovers that the person interviewing her for the job is also running late. Eva is under a time crunch, though, as she needs to be back home to take her son to football. Following this sequence, Eva begins to notice a classic family portrait of the headteacher and their family on a ski slope, hung up in the room, where Arthur begins to plant a series of insanely cruel and violent images in her head of all the different disasters that could have happened on that trip. Having this fictitious picture act as a stimulus for Eva is a powerful reminder that, in the real world, anything can be a trigger for these unwanted thoughts. This can only help the audience become more aware of how this condition actually manifests itself in day-to-day life.
With constant references to graphic violence, suicidal thoughts and mental health, frequent balloon bursts, and strong language throughout, this is absolutely a show for a more mature audience. Even I, as a twenty-seven-year-old, found certain points of the show to border on being too gruesome and grotesque, but this was the entire purpose of the show.As this story is based on the real-life experiences of Chiara, it is very important that the text shared remains honest and accurate to what someone experiencing these intense thoughts would actually think about. It is incredibly important that the show covers these uncomfortable but real experiences, as many people often think intrusive thoughts are simply “eating another piece of cake when you know you shouldn’t” or “breaking into a music festival”, when in actuality these overwhelming thoughts can be debilitating and cause people to act in a way that even they themselves know is not right. Having a show that shines a light on this often-undiscussed mental health condition is not only insanely powerful but also incredibly necessary, as it can only benefit anyone in the audience going through a similar experience! However, the story does not contain a traditional happy ending. These intrusive thoughts, guided by Arthur, begin to turn inwards, encouraging Eva to cause harm to herself, at which point Eva begins to find it in herself to ignore the manifestation that had been plaguing her throughout the show. I also think it is incredibly important that the show does not end with Eva simply overcoming her dark, intrusive thoughts, as in the real world, this is not something you are simply cured of. Oftentimes, it is a constant battle not to give in, so having the story show the early stages of this journey is not only accurate but also sprinkles a bit of hope for anyone who is going through a similar thing.
In conclusion, The Extraordinary Life of a Rat Racer by Stage Leftovers, starring Chiara Fumanti and Andrea Guerini, is a vulnerably raw and honest exploration of mental health and, in particular, dangerous intrusive thoughts. It can only help to raise awareness and demystify any preconceptions people may have, which can only benefit anyone going through a similar experience. The unique and innovative staging using balloons helps to portray the fragility of our minds while also creating a tool to forcibly grip the audience’s attention every time they pop. I would rate this production 3 out of 5 stars!
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