by Diana Miranda

As we enter the space, playwright and performer Nick Cohen greets us as if we’re special guests at a private screening. He’s wearing a black suit, and has a polite if fidgety demeanour. When the studio’s doors close, he expresses a mild disappointment that Ryan Gosling hasn’t shown up.

Part bittersweet memoir, part unabashed satire, Life with Oscar follows Cohen’s journey as he travels from London to Los Angeles. He’s an aspiring filmmaker who wants to mingle with Hollywood big shots who might bring him closer to his ultimate career goal: winning an Academy Award.

The story begins with a family friend and film director labelling the young Nick as “odd” (the equivalent of being knighted in the creative world). This kicks off a producer-chasing whirlwind where a two-time Oscar winner invites Cohen to house-sit his mansion on Sunset Boulevard. The benefit? A promise to share the “secret recipe” for securing an Oscar nomination. Cohen’s script offers a surface-skimming yet detailed look into Hollywood’s big-break-seeking landscape. This is no story about artistic drive nor burning creativity, but about the hunger for recognition. It’s a story where networking comes first and artistry comes second.

The show indulges in celebrity name-dropping and the stereotypical L.A. vibe, from the Californian accent to the summery wardrobe. Its storytelling is punctuated by playful skits that add colour to the narrative. These include as an alien advising Tom Cruise on Scientology’s role in L.A. domination, and the model for the Oscar statuette—a Mexican whose actual name is Emilio—narrating his origin story.

Directed by Nicholas Pitt, the play flings audiences across continents. Different accents are to be expected, and Cohen rises to the occasion. Disappointingly, Emilio’s strong accent is that of a Spaniard, not a Mexican. This is particularly egregious considering Los Angeles’ significant Mexican and Latino population.

The performance’s high-octane energy is its main ammunition. However, it can also be overwhelming, as the unvarying pace eventually feels like one-note. The performance confuses stamina for dramatic drive, and Cohen’s over-the-top depiction of the multiple individuals he encounters is more caricatured than realistic.

Yet, what we lack in finely nuanced portrayals, we gain in vibrant physicality and vocal power. With nothing but a screen and a chair, Cohen commands a bare stage from corner to corner with unwavering vitality. This, and a few moments of audience interaction, help counter the self-referential story that inundates spectators with anecdotal information (verbatim, Cohen assures us). Even for an autobiography, the script comes across as too one-sided. It force-feeds the memoir in a way that leaves little food for thought and no space for a nuanced reflection on the intricacies of Hollywoodland’s politics.

Overall, Life with Oscar offers a frantic ride through an industry reliant on appearances and strategic connections. The play’s tone hinders a nuanced exploration, but manages to remove the façade of the Hollywood dream and playfully question the inner workings of a massive institution.

Life with Oscar runs through 20 April.

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