★★★★★
Cadel is not just a biographical story of an underdog, but an emotional journey sharing the valuable lesson that your mental well-being is affected by those who surround you. The support or lack thereof from your inner circle can be the determining factor if you win or lose – sometimes by seconds.
Masterful storytelling makes the audience realize the depth of their emotional connection to the protagonist after a hardship – and Cadel does just that. The connection is created by the journey shown from adolescence to success and the failures in between. We come to root for a young boy with a passion that turns into a dream.
A coveted yellow jersey becomes a metaphor for Cadel’s connection to his inner child.
As we weave through the moments of Cadel’s life that bring him to the successful athlete he has become, yellow dims in and out of his life. The grueling pressure confounded with disrespect from press and the media, inevitably affects Cadel’s psyche. The play perfectly encapsulates the often overlooked mental health struggles that professional athletes face.
Delves’ excellent acting makes you forget he’s an actor at all. The craft, talent, and years of hard work he has put into his performance is evident. Get your tickets before the run sells out.
Another Fringe show of physical exertion was Richard Gadd’s Monkey See Monkey Do where he was on a treadmill during his performance. Gadd has gone on to be wildly successful, decorated in medals for his work, just as Cadel, and I believe Delves can achieve the same – even in a matter of seconds.
In the most joyous moment of the play, Cadel becomes covered in yellow, inspiring us all to fill our lives with our own kind of joy.
CADEL: Lungs on Legs is on at Underbelly Cowgate, Belly Laugh until August 24th.
