Pieces of a Man
A comic one-man show about fatherhood, trauma, and joy
“A master class” – CLICK FOR REVIEW
Globetrotting Londoner David is having a midlife crisis. He longs to grow up, but his dad keeps getting in the way. And he’s been dead 20 years.
David’s father Marcello was a Libyan-Italian Jew who survived the Nazi concentration camps as a child. Larger-than-life, he lived through business success and failure, casinos and shady deals, an unexplained bomb, and a terrifying accident – hauling his loved ones along on his wild rollercoaster of life.
In Pieces of a Man, David brings us on his journey to make peace with his father. Hilarious and moving, this universal story shows how we can approach the complex legacies of our parents with creativity and joy.
UPCOMING DATES
Volksbühne Berlin, May 15, 2024 (link TBD)
Charing Cross Theatre, London – Jun 17, 2024 (link TBD)
Ostend, Belgium – summer, 2024 (link TBD)
Format: One-man show
Duration: 1h 15m
Style: Storytelling, monologue
Genre: Standup, auto-ethnography, documentary, interactive
RESPONSES
“I was gripped and found it extremely moving.“
—Mike Radford, Executive Producer, BBC
“A completely brilliant truthful, moving piece of work. It’s ringing in my ears and heart.”
—Charlie Westenra, Theatre Director, Olivier Award winner
“Makes you question the past, present, and future. A moving and soul-searching piece.”
—Rosanna Lewis, Senior Programme Manager, Culture and Development, British Council
“Combines humour, drama, and intrigue… you question how well you really know your own parents.”
—Edward McMillan, Artistic Director, The Bridge Theatre Brussels
About the Artist
Born in London, David Labi was an active youth activist, learning as a teenager how to create and run workshops on all kinds of topic for hundreds of youths. He studied English Literature at Cambridge University, and in his mid-20s departed on an unusual trajectory around the world. Having lived in Tokyo, Berlin, Buenos Aires, and now Brussels, he’s done all kinds of things. But the red thread through it all is STORYTELLING.
He’s edited top city magazines and published guides and translations. He’s written scripts for TV news and documentaries. He’s made films including feature documentaries and globally broadcast TV. And he’s written concepts for leading global brands like Flora and Lipton.
In Berlin he founded a diverse artist collective, and ethical storytelling agency Good Point, which he continues to run from Brussels. His clients include WWF, British Council, Oxfam, Greenpeace, and more. A current project is a graphic novel about refugees for UNHCR to be distributed in schools worldwide.
David has been in front of diverse audiences running interactive workshops on storytelling, performing children’s musical comedy theatre, and now sharing Pieces of a Man with audiences in London, Barcelona, and Brussels so far. His past work has shown at Glastonbury and Edinburgh festivals.
David Labi and his father Marcello in 1984
UPCOMING DATES
Volksbühne Berlin, May 15, 2024 (link TBD)
Charing Cross Theatre, London – Jun 17, 2024 (link TBD)
Ostend, Belgium – summer, 2024 (link TBD)
PAST PERFORMANCES
Nona, Mechelen – Apr 6, 2024
JW3, London – 2-3 Apr, 2024
Intl. Storytelling Festival, Amsterdam – 4 Nov, 2023
Volksbühne, Berlin– 18 Oct, 2023
Mezrab, Amsterdam – Jun 2023
Pianofabriek, Brussels – Apr 2023
De Studio, Antwerp – Mar 2023
Arenberg, Antwerp – Mar 2023
Full Circle, Brussels – Jan 2023
Camden People’s Theatre, London – Sep 2022
Goldsmiths, University of London, George Wood Theatre, London – Jul 2022
L’Argonne, Brussels – Mar 2022
Club Cronopios, Barcelona – Jan 2022
Hectolitre, Brussels – Sep 2021
SOME IMAGES FROM PAST PERFORMANCES BELOW!
