A one man show that fuses theatricality and physical theatre with spoken word and poetry to create a dynamic story of the Icarus myth, mental health and masculinity - this is Icarus Falling, a must see this festival season.

“I’m a big fan of South Park. They do this amazing thing where they’re absolutely taking the piss, but at the same time creating these moments of incredible stillness. Icarus Falling is about finding those moments,” says the show’s creator, Scott Wings. 

Off the back of five-star reviews and a sell-out season at Edinburgh Fringe, multi-award winning slam poet Scott is bringing his one-man show to Adelaide Fringe.

The work loosely follows the Icarus myth, in which Icarus’ father, Daedalus, fashions them each a pair of wings from feathers and wax so they can escape a tower where they are imprisoned. Although cautioned not to fly too close to the sun – should the wax melt – Icarus gets carried away and forgets his father’s warning. As the feathers come loose, he’s ripped from the sky, and plunges towards death in the sea below.  

Using this tale as a foundation, Scott weaves in contemporary musings on mental health, masculinity and heartbreak. 

“I’d written all these poems, but knew if it were to be more than just a variety show, I needed something that could tie them all together. I needed a narrative,” he says.

“I love Greek mythology, so when I looked into the story of Icarus I realised it tied in naturally with my own story I wanted to share.”

While it’s a heartrendingly personal account of living with mental illness, and struggling to come to terms with what it means to be a man, Scott’s all too aware that this rawness must be tempered with irreverence. 

“No matter what, it’s about giving audiences those moments of light and dark, so it becomes more potent.”

To match this complex subject matter, Scott’s opted for a multi-layered genre. While you’ll find Icarus Falling in the theatre section of the Fringe guide, there’s more happening than just a guy standing on stage acting out a play.  With a background in traditional theatre, but experience in hip-hop, spoken word, comedy and physical theatre, Scott’s resume is long and he has used all these eclectic influences and skills to glue together his series of poignant poems in the hour-long show.  

Moments of satirical brilliance shine throughout the show, but it is the inevitable fall where Scott’s experiences and bravery are most valuable. He might refer to himself as the court jester and wandering minstrel, but it’s clear that he’s got more to offer than a few laughs.