Writer: Dafe Orugbo
Director: Joy Nesbitt
Am I The Asshole? is presented as a courtroom drama, with the unique take of selecting audience members as the jury in the case. The case at hand: Temu has brought his ex Amy to court over a stolen wedding gift. It’s a matter of social justice: was Amy in the wrong for stealing the gift (despite it being her idea in the first place that he initially mocked) or was Temu wrong for stealing her gift idea in order to regain social acceptance?
The beauty of courtroom dramas is the suspense: to suck you in, make you hold your breath as you anxiously await the jury’s decision. With this show, the jury didn’t seem to matter one bit, because the matter at hand was dull. Now Am I The Asshole? is clearly a show poking fun at the drama of the courtroom, however it didn’t particularly fall into the genre of comedy either.
There were definitely funny moments in the play. These can be mainly attributed to the actor playing the judge, who made a good show of holding the gavel and the audience’s attention. Giving perfectly timed scolding looks at the audience, and turning gaffes into moments of hilarity; with Bette Davis energy – there’s potential for a lot more from her, one to watch. Temu also had his moments in the spotlight, particularly the nightclub vignette. It was a struggle to ascertain the quality of the other performances, as the characters were little more than overused stereotypes, particularly Feeney as the shudderingly sleazy but decent underneath it all lawyer and Fran – frizzy haired, frantic and fast-talking (why do these character types consistently show up in fringe shows?).
The most entertaining thing about the show was without a doubt the audience. From start to finish, people were positively bursting with laughter. It made the experience feel like a school play, people giddy seeing their friends on stage.
The verdict on Am I The Asshole?: a unique concept for a show that deserves a more interesting story and script. Or possibly even better if it had been improvised entirely. I got the sense that a number of the actors would have been well able for it; the moments of audience interaction were the most entertaining ones.
Runs Until 13th Sept 2025.
