Presented as a sincere and humorous exploration of Cornish nationalism and finding (and sometimes crossing) the line between local pride and xenophobia, this show transcends its local origins and resonates widely.
Using Cornwall and his Cornishness as a blueprint, Seamas Carey details his experiences of nationalism. He uses music (playing the bagpipes and accordion) and teaching the audience a short song he wrote on Cornish pride, soundbites of interviews with Cornish people and even how to eat a cream tea. He engages well with the audience, which is immediately along for the ride.
Carey’s character is a warm, likeable lad who is a very proud Cornishman. His love for his homeland is clear, fervent, and sometimes goes a bit over the top. He pushes to the point where he almost loses the audience by showing how some of these feelings can be taken too far, then immediately pulls back into a stylised confessional. It’s an effective technique and allows enough humour to prevent the audience being lost or overwhelmed entirely.
The show is technically tight, with effective stage business which doesn’t obscure the message.
Nationalism is a delicate subject, but this production handles it honestly, with a good amount of humour and the absurd.
You can hear an interview with Seamas Carey by Emily Sutherland on the Kaleidoscope program from February 26 March 2025.
Until 20 March, 2025
Duration: 70 minutes
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