 The Saw franchise has never exactly been celebrated for its character development especially when it comes to John Kramer’s sidekick, Billy the cycling doll. But Alex Walker changes all that, bringing Billy to life in an utterly surreal, riotously bizarre 50-minute fever dream that you simply have to witness to believe.
Through a hilariously earnest photo slideshow, Billy recounts his early years: a champion cyclist, youth pastor, and his proud lineage of famous dolls he’s part of. That wholesome path takes a left turn when he and John Kramer launch Christian lock-in camps where are meant to accelerate finding God but it’s a venture that quickly spirals into the sinister events of the first three Saw films. After eventually admitting to mass murder, Billy earns a pardon, only to find himself estranged from Annabelle the doll and banned from seeing his five children - all Bratz dolls. Now, under the watchful eye of a judge via live stream, Billy must prove he’s a reformed puppet by presenting the five tenets of good fatherhood. What follows is a wildly inventive blend of absurdist storytelling, great physical comedy, and the kind of meticulous, unhinged creativity that only comes from a true fringe performer. Walker’s performance is so memorable, her commitment to the bit absolute, and the result is one of the most unforgettable shows at this year’s festival. It’s a gleefully twisted reimagining that somehow makes you root for a murderous puppet on a bike. Lee Hutchison 4/5 Come. See. Saw Venue: Lime Studio at Greenside @ George Street Dates: August 11th to 24th (excluding 17th) Time: 1800 Tickets: come-see-saw |
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