“LIFE IS NOT ABOUT WHAT WE DIDN’T DO, ITS ABOUT WHAT WE DID DO”

When getting the tickets for this production I was really intrigued. First, because I have never seen a one man show and second because of the plot and its promise of being a poignant original comedy. To tell you the truth the main reason for me was Asa Butterfield’s (you would recognise him from Hugo, Sex Education, Enders Game and many more) theatre debut and the hint of Hogwarts.
Sometimes you go to the theatre not knowing what to expect, even after reading the blurb. This was one of those occasions, I didn’t even know how long one person can last alone without everyone getting bored. SECOND BEST is 1 1/2 hours of funny, sad dreamlike entertainment that never becomes tedious.
So, you ask what it is about? It’s the story of Martin Hill, who as a child got down to the final two contenders for the role of Harry Potter. Needless to say, Martin is not Daniel Radcliffe therefore he narrowly missed out. Years later he is becoming a father, and Martin navigates through his emotions as he is pulled back to that pivotal moment in his life and how since then he has been struggling to move beyond it.

His disappointment at not being Harry Potter, his inability to move on, is a mask that hides his real reasons for not being able to let go of his traumatic past.
As a Harry Potter fan the storyline had a special resonance, as a kid, I along with many others I’m sure, daydreamed about being in the Potter films. It was a clever and dramatic way of using the metaphor of missed chances that could have made life better hit home in an accessible way.
All the Harry Potter references were on the mark and not cringy. The writer new his magical stuff and it was very funny given the bittersweet subject matter.
Martin spends the years growing up after missing out trying to ignore and hide from anything Potter. A difficult thing to do, but he finds escape in the distant past by working in the Louvre Museum.
Later in the play Martin meets his nemesis there, directing him to the Mona Lisa and the moment is full of irony. It seems that when your dreams come true, they may not be what you expect.

The performance I saw was only the second of its 4-week run, and you would never guess it by Asa’s exceptional performance. His stage presence was charismatic and the fact that he has never acted on stage before is impressive. You can’t learn or teach that talent.
It is great to see something original given all the remakes out there and we must celebrate that. Sometimes I feel that Off West End can more rewarding and unique, you just need to do some searching around to see what’s on.
Martin used a camera on stage to describe his auditions for Harry Potter (he who must not be named, as he calls him). Later, he turns the camera on members of the audience, describing how we can all let miss opportunities effect our lives. A TV in the corner of the stage showed what the camera picked up. A brilliant touch.
The stage was simplistic but effective and helped focus the attention on Asa, especially during the flashbacks. Keep an eye out for the crisp packet display and the tin foil!!
Go see Second Best at the Riverside Studios to ensure that it doesn’t become a missed opportunity that you will regret.
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