It’s one of the most enduring and popular franchises going, but for busier fans, it’s difficult to find time to marathon all twenty-four James Bond movies. Enter Brian Gorman, whose one-man show aims to give you the best bits of every single one in just over sixty minutes. We were at Gulliver’s in Manchester for the public debut of One Man Bond.
The best way to describe what Gorman does is this: you know the scene in I’m Alan Partridge where, his VHS collection ruined, Alan acts out the entirety of The Spy Who Loved Me in his camper van? It’s that, but much more time-efficient, much less annoying, and actually really funny. Armed with a sharp black suit and a minimal amount of props, Gorman begins with the iconic opening scene of Dr. No and acts out the best moments from every film, right up to Bond’s confrontation with Blofeld at the end of Spectre.
The moments he’s chosen to act out are very carefully picked; we get a flavour of the plot and key action sequences of each movie, but with enough time spared for Gorman to relish in some of the cheesier one-liners and innuendos, joyfully drawing attention to how daft these films can be; his rendition of A View To A Kill’s ‘early riser’ dialogue was one of the best laughs of the evening. Fans of Bond films will love seeing their favourites being ribbed; those less familiar with the movies may find themselves lost, however.
If the performance did ever risk losing its audience’s interests, it was during the less beloved films, i.e. the ones with boring plots and fewer good lines for Gorman to quote. He did, however, draw attention to this, making a gag about how short his Die Another Day performance is.
What’s important in a show like this is for all the characters to be distinct and recognisable; thankfully, Gorman is a skilled impressionist, getting the vocal tics of every Bond spot-on and even making us chuckle with his perfect capturing of Roger Moore’s distinctive stance. His Christopher Walken is a treat, too, as is his impersonation of every generic simpering Bond girl, not to forget the increasingly disturbing snogging noises.
This being the first public performance, there were a few minor hiccups – lines bodged and music cues missed – but that strangely fit with the lovingly homemade style of Gorman’s impressions. This is one fan’s loving and hilarious tribute to the history of Bond movies and will be a treat for all other fans. We recommend you try to catch One Man Bond at one of its upcoming performances – see http://www.theunmutual.co.uk/onemanbondpr.htm for upcoming dates.
