Mediocre White Male heads to VAULT Festival following Edinburgh run

Mediocre White Male will head to VAULT Festival following its recent Edinburgh run.

The revitalised production will play at The Vaults (Crescent) as part of VAULT Festival from 25 – 30 January 2022.

Now joined by exciting producers Metal Rabbit Productions (Radiant Vermin, Soho Theatre; Spiderfly, Theatre 503), the updated production includes brand new sound and lighting design, taking it to the next level.

A tragicomedy about ancient history, recent past and present lies, Mediocre White Male follows the 30-year-old central character, still living in the same town and trapped working in a crumbling tourist attraction. He longs for a simpler time of Pokémon cards, school nicknames and stable pronouns, a time when he could open his mouth without offending a colleague… But nostalgia is always dangerous… With the living statue he has played for a decade threatened with cancellation, and with a figure from his past returning to haunt him, it might just be time to face up to some uncomfortable truths.

In between musings on shit jobs and filling dead time, Mediocre White Male slips in a searing portrait of male anger, fragility and vulnerability, touching on wider themes about being left behind in a small community, feeling abandoned as the world changes, and feeling confused in the face of a progressive agenda you don’t fully understand. How do we handle the increasing anger and detachment felt across British society, where town is pitted against city, tradition against ‘woke-ism’ and he/him faces off against she/her/they/them.

As society grapples with how to deal with its wider history of abuse and colonialism, the protagonist (a relatable, complex and conflicted character) must deal with his own historical misdeeds, mistakes and demons.

Tickets are available online now from vaultfestival.com/events/mediocre white-male/.

Writers Will Close (Dave Comedy Award winner 2013; member of 1927 theatre company), who also performs, and Joe von Malachowski (Hero, Theatre Royal Stratford East) conceived the show while reflecting on high school experiences and how, in a small-town ecosystem, no one challenged the behaviour of older men pursuing younger girls.

Co-Producer Sofi Berenger commented: “After seeing Mediocre White Male and programming it for Shedinburgh 2021, I knew it would be a great fit at VAULT Festival and really excited Metal Rabbit Productions is able to join the team.

“Will & Joe’s fantastic writing is poignant, funny and nuanced and Will’s fantastic comedic timing really brings the role to life on stage. We can’t wait to bring this show to London before embarking on tour.”