theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall (Venue 53): Mon 11 – Sat 16 August
Review by Erin Frances Speirs
Tim Kenneth Kicks The Bucket is an impeccably written, directed and performed production from Kestrel Eye Productions, playing theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall for Week Two of the Fringe only.
Taking audiences on a journey through New Jersey, writer and director Brandon Kiziloz’s new play explores the blossoming friendship between an overachiever with a superiority complex and an underachieving class clown, as well as the philosophy of personhood.
Mackay Mumford, Brian Olsen and Connor Bullock. Pic: Kestrel Eye.
The play opens with its three actors on stage, deeply engaged as they answer questions from a police officer. They speak in quick succession, heightening the energy in the room immediately, before the scene moves back in time to where the story begins.
During Pencil and Scooter’s last class of the semester before graduating from Rutgers University, their professor Tim Kenneth has a mental breakdown. We see Tim’s morning mindset to be weakened, but this falls into full disarray when Scooter—a prankster, or what Pencil would call a bully—decides to deceive Tim one last time, leading him into a full mental crisis.
Scooter (Mackay Mumford) has been pulling these pranks all year, whereas Pencil (Connor Bullock) is a teacher’s pet who holds Tim (Brian Olsen) in high regard.
hits with strong performances
When Tim flips out on both young men, they join forces, attempting to leave behind their contentious relationship to clear their consciences. This adventure across New Jersey leads the pair to break into private property, hack (numerous) laptops, and discover that there is much more to both their professor’s – and each others’ – lives.
From the opening scene this hits with strong performances and forceful, deliberate directing from Kiziloz. The cast keep their energy high throughout the production, even as sweat drips off them in a sweltering room.
Connor Bullock and Mackay Mumford. Pic: Kestrel Eye.
Connor Bullock’s stage presence is mesmerising, as he holds onto Pencil’s uptight character with impressive believability. Mackay Mumford portrays depressive prankster Scooter with endearing passion, energetically enthralled in every scene.
All three of the actors’ imagination in the space is a pleasure to witness. During a bar scene, with just loud music showing the chaos, both Bullock and Mumford evoke the space beautifully, creating the idea they are in a loud, busy college bar with honesty, even as they stand alone in the space. This is incredibly impressive from the two young actors who clearly have bright futures ahead of them.
Brian Olsen uses his moments of madness and musings to their fullest potential, savouring every word of his intense language. Olsen does this without letting the performance get stale, as we learn more about his curious character.
spectacularly tight writing
The performances in Tim Kenneth Kicks The Bucket are supported by spectacularly tight writing from emerging playwright and director Brandon Kiziloz. Stacked full of referential humour, without ever feeling cheap, the fast paced comedy dives deep into the psyche of all three of its characters.
Tim Kenneth Kicks The Bucket shows there is always more than meets the eye, and you never truly know how another person is feeling. With purposeful directing throughout, a few moments as he play draws to a close which could be tighter. However these do not take away from this enthralling piece of new writing.
Casually Queer, filled with literary motifs and philosophical references, this heartwarming and hilariously written new play takes audiences on an entertaining voyage of twists and turns.
Running time: 50 minutes (no interval).
TheSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall (Theatre 1), Nicolson Street, EH8 9DW (Venue 53).
Monday 11 – Saturday 16 August 2025.
Daily: 5.25pm.
Tickets and details: Book here on EdFringe.com.
Instagram: @kestreleyeproductions
X: @kestrel_eye
ENDS