It all starts with a simple wee. And from here, Rosa Garland’s Primal Bog plunges headfirst into a kind of mayhem that is messy, grotesque and yet somehow, extremely endearing. On arrival, the first row is invited to don waterproof ponchos, seemingly to protect from any mid-show splash-back – but what exactly they need protected from is left unsaid, and probably for the best.
Garland arrives on stage naked, bedraggled orange wig on her head and Goop product in tow – she’s embodying Gwyneth Paltrow, but maybe not the version we’ve all come to know (and fear). This Gwyneth’s version of a celebrity-endorsed miracle product is presented in the form of neon orange slime, which she slaps on all over her body, writhing on the floor like a possessed demon.
As well as the Nickelodeon levels of slime, there’s some dream analysis, chaotic video clips, plenty of worms and a (real) live tattoo on stage every night, administered by a delightful ‘Lady in Red’. It all sounds nonsensical, and it is; but underneath it all, Primal Bog is a show about queer intimacy, desire and shame, and how liberating it can be to dive into the swamp and embrace the chaos, warts and all. Through her surreal merging of clowning and comedic performance art, Garland invites us all to find joy in the mess and take pleasure in the playfulness.
Rosa Garland: Primal Bog, Assembly Roxy, until 24 Aug (not 12), 9.50pm