Nicholas Vince is a man most famous for playing monsters. His acting career on screen began with a turn as twisted Cenobite The Chatterer in Clive Barker’s brilliant Hellraiser and over the years he has continued to play amongst the monsters with roles in Nightbreed, Book of Monsters, For We Are Many and Borley Rectory to name just a few. Off screen, his life has been just as dramatic and Vince has decided that now is the time to combine both sides of his life in a limited run of his one man show I Am Monsters.
The hour long performance currently playing at the Pleasance Theatre in London sees Vince take the audience on an intimate journey through his personal life and career. Over the course of the show he opens up about the facial reconstructive surgery that saved his life, what it was like to work as Chatterer, and the horrors of being a gay man during Thatcher’s oppressive Britain. These anecdotes are linked together by readings from some of his favourite horror fiction such as Dracula and some very insightful thoughts on the power of monsters, both fictional and real.
I Am Monsters is a show that would work perfectly at fan conventions as a nice change of pace to the normal question and answer panel. There are some really interesting and important stories shared and Vince is more than capable of holding the attention of the audience. The show passes by in the blink of an eye and most certainly leaves the viewer wanting more. Nicholas Vince has led a remarkable life and we could happily attend a show that was double the length. Hopefully after this limited run he’ll find a way to continue putting on performances as this is an engaging and informative experience for fans of horror and fascinating stories alike.
I am Monsters runs as part of the London Horror Festival from October 8th – October 10th. Tickets can be purchased via the Pleasance website.
