Brisbane World Theatre Festival: A Boy and His Soul

When you see a one man show with no expectations and you’re completely blown away at how brilliant it is, that’s a very special feeling, one that only live theatre can give you.

In A Boy and His Soul Coleman Domingo tells his life story in a unique way. Music, dance, movement, humour and impressions of his family members are brilliantly combined in this one man performance

From the moment Domingo appeared on the VisyTheatre stage at the Powerhouse, his energy levels demanded my attention and in return he delivered big time. He delivered with eye contact, a mesmerising smile and that feeling which makes you want to get up and dance.

His journey takes us from the life of a young boy growing up in a tough neighbourhood with a tight family connected by soul music, to his coming out, the passing of his parents and the inevitable job of sorting through the family home, including the treasured record collection.

It’s all brilliantly written, produced and choreographed. Domingo finds that perfect balance of being tight and precise where necessary, and loose and abstract when needed.  The result is a blend of contagious toe tapping and heart warming laughter.

A Boy and His Soul is an outstanding one-man show brimming with Broadway class, exceptional talent, genuine humour, and a magical mixture of music, theatre and dance.

Many of the younger people in the audience may well have been seeing a record player for the first time but, for those old enough to remember the joys of vinyl, the performance evoked many cherished memories.  Remember having a collection of records, being able to touch the tracks and literally hold onto the music like a family heirloom.  It wasn’t just a matter of playing them, it was also about the art on the album cover. Domingo succeeds in bringing all these memories to life: the touch, the feel the sound.

What a talent, what great music and what a way to introduce the concept of a record collection to the iPod generation. Not sure how many people can show that much love for their iTunes play list!

A must see!