Something rather unusual has landed in Grace Hatchell’s satchel this week, and I’m not entirely convinced it isn’t a prank from the theatre gods.
BAFTA-award winning artist Alison Jackson is heading to Lichfield Garrick this June with a live show that promises to blur the lines between fame, fantasy and downright theatrical nonsense. The show, Alison Jackson: Faking Famous: You Can Be a Celebrity Too, arrives for one night only on 3 June at 7.30pm, fresh from success at last year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe where it picked up a Fringe Theatre Award.
Now, here’s the curious part.
Jackson isn’t just bringing a show. She’s bringing a mission.
She’s on the hunt for celebrity lookalikes.
Yes, you read that right. If you’ve ever been told you resemble a pop star, a royal, a politician or that lad from Oasis who’s always squinting in sunglasses, Alison Jackson wants to hear from you.
According to the release, it doesn’t matter if you’re not the real deal, as long as you look the part. The show invites ordinary people into the spotlight, transforming them live on stage into glamorous celebrity doppelgängers through makeovers, styling, live photoshoots and the occasional theatrical meltdown.
Grace can only imagine the chaos.
One moment you’re sitting quietly in the audience minding your own business. The next you’re being whisked onto the stage and turned into a Kardashian, a royal or perhaps even a Gallagher brother, depending on your haircut and willingness to pout dramatically.
Jackson’s work famously plays with the absurd machinery of celebrity culture, exposing just how easy it can be to manufacture fame when the lights, cameras and audience are all pointing in the right direction. The show promises backstage antics, identity crises, outrageous casting moments and plenty of audience participation as lookalikes compete to convince everyone they truly belong on the A-list.
A panel of judges, alongside the audience, will decide which freshly minted “celebrity” has the star power to win the night. The real question, of course, is what happens when someone actually gets the fame they’ve always dreamed of.
If you think you might have a celebrity double hiding in the mirror, Jackson is inviting hopeful lookalikes to get in touch via Instagram at @AlisonJacksonArtist. With any luck, you might find yourself stepping into the spotlight, whether you’re ready for it or not.
Alison Jackson: Faking Famous: You Can Be a Celebrity Too comes to Lichfield Garrick on 3 June at 7.30pm for one night only. Tickets are available via the theatre box office on 01543 412121 or online at www.lichfieldgarrick.com.
Grace’s professional opinion? If you’ve ever fancied five minutes of fame without the bother of learning lines, this might be the most theatrical way to get it.
Just don’t blame me if you walk in as yourself and leave as someone entirely different.
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