★★★
On paper, Del Valle: A True Tale of Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll… and Redemption sounds like an evening of riotous fun. A moment in the history of popular culture that all fans of music would clamour to hear. The one man performance promises a wild ride, from New York’s infamous Chelsea Hotel to the notorious Travis County Correctional Complex (known as Del Valle and lends its name to the title of the production). In this sense, it delivers, but the production is ultimately let down by a confusing narrative structure that ultimately tries to do too much.
The saving grace is star Ned Van Zandt—it’s hard to understand why he’s not more famous. His performance is compelling and his raw, engaging energy is what ultimately redeems the production. The story jumps back and forth through time with little to no warning, beginning in the mid-2000s, and meandering through the 70s, 80s and 90s. Less confusing would have been to tell the story in chronological order. It makes it incredibly difficult to get emotionally invested in the story and follow the main character’s story. My confusion was compounded by the fact that Van Zandt plays every character. While he is talented enough to embody each one distinctly, it’s hard to keep track of who is who and what their relevance is to the overall plot.
Additionally, the production talks up the role of the Sex Pistols’ Sid Vicious and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen as well as the story of their tragic death. Van Zandt was one of the last people to see Vicious and Spungen on the night Spungen died in the Chelsea hotel. But their story is simply a footnote.
It may have been more effective to hear Van Zandt recount his story to a journalist or biographer.
Ultimately, while Ned Van Zandt’s electrifying performance is worth the price of admission, the play itself is a muddled and disorienting experience. It’s a shame that such a powerful central performance is hampered by a story that’s nearly impossible to follow.
Del Valle: A True Tale of Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll… and Redemption will be performed at Underbelly until 24 August as part of Edinburgh Fringe.
Words by Lauren Gilmour
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