Playing Mortal Kombat Guarantees You Inner Calm! - or so asserts Dominic Berry in the title of his current show at the PBH Edinburgh Free Fringe.
The professional poet is taking gaming references to the stage as part of a free trial for his 2015 run. He's accompanied by guest Dave Viney, with a clear motivation for entering the arena: "A big aim of mine is to try to get people who think poetry's not for them to reconsider, by showing them poems that are accessible, modern and fun. This year I decided to put together a set based on video games."
Why would a British poet gravitate toward one of America's most bloody entertainment exports? Well, some of this is the nature of the show, but Berry explained to Mortal Kombat Online in more common communicative syntax, "I focus on MK for two reasons. 1. it's my all time favourite video game franchise, 2. I am a ridiculously flamboyant performer, so a lot of the intended comedy comes from me talking about something perceived as ultra-macho in a super camp way." The result? "There's a lot of double entendres and a ton of silliness, but at the heart I do attempt to look at the serious reasons why gaming - particularly MK - has helped me handle all kinds of real life anxieties, big and petty."
Slam Kombo: "Sub-Zero's spine chord rip induces instant love and bliss."
"When I was 12, UK children's TV still had several shows on aimed at teenagers. I saw one show previewing an upcoming game - the first ever Mortal Kombat. It was the digitized actors that hooked me. I got and played that first game non stop: discovered the ABACABB blood code, learnt all the finishers, found Reptile -- I was obsessed."
Video games may offer a bridge between the verse of poetry and the average gamer, but accessibility will inevitably vary. Not everyone found Reptile, and some poor souls played MK on the Nintendo. Berry wields a full arsenal of references, with this in mind: "I talk about all kinds of games; Street Fighter (yeah, sorry), Mario, Call of Duty, Flappy Bird (Ha!)." The broad goal to entertain obviously help, as well.
"A challenge is appealing to the hardcore gamers who get all the obscure references -- (I especially focus on the game Armageddon) -- but [to] also not lose folks who've just taken a chance on an interesting sounding comedy (but know nothing of poetry, or the MK games beyond it having various coloured ninjas). I try and alternate the jokes - one that I reckon only about a third of the audience will get immediately, followed by something far more universal."
How deep do the poet's Mortal Kombat kredentials go? Pretty deep:
"MK3 lost me with the goofier fatalities and I didn't get back into the series until Deception. I think all the PS2 era MKs are under rated. Awesome new characters like Havik and Bo' Rai Cho get a lot of hate, but I love them. My current three favourite MKs are the first (I will never forget that initial discovery), Deception, and (of course) the new one. It's got it all for me - the story, the fantasy, the characters, the over-the-top, brutal moves - but most of all the cathartic feeling of winning. Hence the name of my poetry show, 'Playing Mortal Kombat Guarantees You Inner Calm'."
When we contacted Dominic to learn more about his show, he was heading out to perform another one. So far the reception has been positive: "The first couple of shows have gone excellently. I can almost hear Dan Forden yell 'toasty' when a line I am particularly proud of works and hits home."
At present I have two guest comedians with video game sets come on to help me make the full hour each day, but the goal is by next year to have an entire 60 minute solo set. So, more writing will be happening over the next few months. The great thing about poems is you can so easily slot different ones in and take bits out far easier than a straight play or even stand up - the format lends itself to a very mix-and-match process."
Playing Mortal Kombat Guarantees You Inner Calm is running from August 19-23 -- so you can still catch the last show if you're in Edinburgh for the weekend! [Facebook Info]
Head to George Next Door, 9 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, where there's free entry with a "not-aggressive-at-all bucket shake at the end". Give generously. If you've seen the show, be sure to register to share a review on the forums - or just offer wonder and encouragement!
