Ten Ways to Die Happy, an existential but somewhat formulaic Italian production performed in English, invites audience members to consider how they would use their finite time. Created by Emanuele Aldrovandi and Jacopo Giacomoni, the show is a gentle gameshow that asks participants to put this thought experiment into practice.
An Interactive Experience
Eight people are plucked at random from the audience. One reviewer, whose number was called, donned a white robe, chose a new name, and took a seat on stage. Perla Ambrosini, the ethereal host, stands in fabric armour in a shallow pool of water. Each participant has a tray of flowers thrown into the pool, with every plastic bud representing the “energy” available to invest in work, art, and family. Once the supply is up, the participant is dead.
Ambrosini efficiently guides participants across the years, Dungeon Master-like, through fumbling sex, consuming grief, and boring jobs. Over the course of their lives, participants control small counters to mark their levels of happiness. “The aim of the game,” Ambrosini tells them, “is to die happy.”
A Sedentary Pace
The show induces more of an elevated heart-rate for those on the top table, though there are opportunities for broader audience participation. But even for the chosen ones, the show’s pace remains fairly sedentary. Some of the interaction is cringe, and while there’s never a sense that you’ll say something wrong, neither is there ever a truly difficult dilemma, nor a decision that feels more poignant than casually playing the board game Catan.
A Welcome Reminder
While the performance is conducted with an intense sense of ceremony, the drama of the actual game would be improved by greater stakes. But in its blunt reflections and visual confrontations, Ten Ways to Die Happy is a welcome reminder that we should all make the most of the time we have. The show runs at Underbelly, Bristo Square, Edinburgh, until 31 August.
