Who would have thought that if you combined pigeons and circus, you’d have a brilliant time?
Lucky Pigeons is Brainfools Ed Fringe debut, and what a debut it is. This is a highly interactive, family friendly show. Before any action even takes place, our main “human” character is out in the audience, introducing herself to each member of the audience, interacting with the children and ensuring that they are comfortable with the next hour.
A boy called Oscar becomes an unbeknownst star when he is called upon regularly to come straight onto the stage and help. The grin on this boy’s face is infectious and his excitement to take part is electric. Lucky Pigeons has really provided an opportunity to make a core memory for this kid.
Our main character loses her job and becomes lost on a street where she meets a group of pigeons who magically become human size and teach her the ways of the pigeon life which is… circus. There’s a sense of learning from them and improving of her mood from these simple yet talented figures. Their costumes border human with suit-like outfits but bright feathers and colourful face paint, pigeon style hats and movement like a bird. It is engaging, and fun, cute and adorable.
The tricks are of course impressive, acrobatics from the built staging in front of us, tricks with no support at all and team balancing acts. There are the occasional mistake but these are picked up quickly and moved on with little notice. There is silly comedy and slapstick, which, from the sounds of the children, tickles them and therefore achieves what it sets out to do.
Lucky Pigeons is engaging, fun, comical and ticks all the boxes for a family friendly show. It may be catered for this demographic, but anyone can find it enjoyable and hugely endearing.
Until Death is a one woman show with an amalgamation of characters, a funny stage hand and… a bat.
Nalini Sharma presents the characters she saw and created from her childhood of hospital stays. They range from a sexually enticed old lady, a brother of a little girl in a hospital bed and a sexy bat who also has crazy dreams of Marilyn Monroe after being hit by the nurse/stage hand.
There is no lead up or connection that is very clear from character to character. It doesn’t stop this being comical and a fun, fever dream, but it wasn’t hugely clear exactly what we were watching. It is still enjoyable, the characters are well thought out and clearly reflecting the characters that Sharma created or met in her times in hospital – they are very exaggerated (although, the old lady could very much be entirely real, even after she wees on a plant) and their interaction with us as the audience is real, comfortable and we feel included and part of the fun and the story.
Until Death needed a little bit more direction and black and white blueprint for us to entirely understand where the characters come from and their reason for being. However, it is a fun play with some hammed up and comical characters.
There is something very powerful about theatre being built around you. Even more so when it’s circus, around, in front and above your head.
Walking into the space, we are faced with only a lonely deflated tent, that we are asked to stand around and watch as it comes alive. We start from the outside until we are welcomed in and under the tent. In front of us, the tent grows and grows and is built before us. There’s a sense of consent – that we are only allowed into this magical world when we are invited.
This reminds me a lot of No Fit State, Bianco, where the staging is ever changing and we see the build before us. However, with Brave Space, we are brought in close to one another, in an intimate and close encounter – the space is safe, the space is brave.
My only criticism with this is that we are such a large audience, that this becomes slightly uncomfortable, with the pressure of the tent on your head if you’re at the back. When we are asked to lie down and watch acrobatics above us, again, it feels compact, little awkward and some couldn’t quite find the space to do this so miss out on the impact. If you’re lucky enough to lie down, it’s magical and a new and relaxed perspective.
The actual circus tricks are of course brilliant and awe-inspiring. There’s the occasional mistake but this is picked up quickly and effortlessly, with very little impact on the smooth transitions.
Brave Space is a tranquil and intimate circus show, bringing us together and creating a new world, built before our eyes.
A lover of puppets, but also a lover of bringing these family friendly items into the adult universe, a show about dating and puppets sounded up my street.
Liv has been brought up, as we all have, of the idea of a White Knight and Prince Charming. But in a modern world, we have to wade through the frogs on dating apps that may seem like good deals or quickly not, but there is awkwardness and a need to stick with it to find this dream. Liv is crazed by this and, to bring her dating woes to life, these poor matches become our familiar favourite puppets from Sesame Street.
In between the stories, Ruggiero ties these up with contemporary and musical bops, showcasing her phenomenal voice. With this, her voice and ability to perform musical theatre is spectacular and it’s clear how much talent Ruggiero possesses. To bring this into a fringe show, featuring puppets and adult humour is a brilliant idea and should be commended. Despite this, for one who is not a novice but also not an expert on Musical Theatre, there were many songs and references that I wasn’t clear on their origins, with some being quite niche and so lost me a little with this. I guess, if you are happy to not think too much about where they come from or accept complete lack of knowledge of this genre, it’s great to absorb these but it felt distracting to me with recognition of some and not others.
The concept is of course interesting – it touches on predecessors such as Avenue Q or Hand of God, using puppetry to give a humorous approach to adult topics. However, I found myself a little lost with who was who and the story-line and with this, possibly missed some of the comedy or point of the story telling. With Liv’s dating life being summarised as not tying up the search for the love of her life and instead, realisation of confidence in herself, it felt a little out of the blue without us seeing more work on herself that could lead to that conclusion.
Puppets is great fun, with a beautiful voice belting through the walls and fantastic performance in general. I just felt a little lost with the story and felt that the important elements such as the songs were rather niche for an ordinary audience.
I’m not a reader of a synopsis or a review before I see a show. I prefer to be surprised and to make my own opinion. But I couldn’t help but see the title of this and expect tricks that animals may enjoy. Such as the tricks you see owners do on Tik Tok to a surprised dog, cat, lizard. But this was something different to my assumption and I’m glad it was.
Magic for Animals by Liz Toonkel is a quintessential magic show, meets informative, activist piece on animal cruelty and our impact on animals and the planet.
Toonkel is nothing but glamorous and beautiful, kind, warm and welcoming. It’s a small audience but she takes the time to engage with each of us and utilises the small audience well, making us feel included and her friends. She is dressed in sparkles and a wonderful hairdo, reflecting the traditional magician, meets his glamorous assistant and a bit of sparkle and pizzazz. This isn’t just for the looks of it but her outfit soon becomes part of the act and therefore provides a well rounded performance.
The tricks are of course impressive. Toonkel is self aware and vulnerable and very talented in her magic acts. This soon becomes clear that she uses magic as a way of telling stories and providing information on animals and the cruelty brought on them for our food, fashion and so much more. The tricks are almost like an unusual seminar show and tell and it is effective.
Whether this be due to the smaller audience, there is at times a little beat missing with the atmosphere. There are times that feel a little awkward, sometimes the telling of stories are a little long and sometimes there isn’t quite enough magic. Don’t get me wrong, the concept and approach is fantastic, the audience interaction on par but there were times where it could have done with being a little punchier. Some of the awkwardness could maybe be filled with a background music, more like a magic show and wouldn’t take away from Toonkel’s important messaging.
Like any good magic show, the conclusion wraps up each topic, each trick into one and Toonkel is humble and engaging as ever at the round up.
Magic for Animals is a unique and interesting topic and concept. It is enjoyable and fun and Toonkel is utterly charming. It just needs a little tweaking to keep the momentum.
A small, yet intimate audience, this felt very apt and appropriate for the following content from Auto-Engrain.
Auto-Engrain: A One Woman Show is a tale about domestic violence within a relationship, the after effects, therapy and un-apologetic women. Kate tells us about her traumatic experiences through dating and sex in the wake of coming out of the clutches of a physically and mentally abusive relationship.
Kate is a very funny character. The story line crosses from comedic to serious effortlessly and she is a likeable character that we can all relate to. She is unapologetic for who she is, slightly outspoken, full of curse words and this comparison between who she is and how she changes and emulates her subservient relationship self is effective and smooth.
Kate is a botanist and so touches upon this in her telling or the inclusion of botany wording. However, this felt a little lost in the telling. There is a moment when we are referred to a projection which crosses botany and the levels of red flags in dating but it felt out of place and at points not needed.
We have the odd moment when the “stage hand” doubles as a character or brings on staging and props. But there are other times when they don’t and either the main performer does this or presents an insinuation through one sided responses and lighting changes. He was brilliant in his part but I did wonder whether it was a case of being all or nothing. I refer to a previous review, The Real William Shakespeare… when their stage hand is his own entity and engages in the background. Perhaps it needs to be factored in that the main performer covers these elements or that our stage hand is given more of a platform to support.
Auto-Engrain: A One Woman Show is an important production on domestic violence and the impact this can have on a person and who they are. It is comical and yet emotional but still needs a little honing to give it direction, theatrically.
I was first introduced to Bibby’s comedy when he invited me to his Ed Fringe show back in 2019. Since, I have been an avid follower and fan of his comedy.
So when his invite for his new show came into my inbox, I was absolutely delighted, and even more so, when I saw what it was about… DINOSAURS. I mean, comedy… dinosaurs… what isn’t there to like?
Bibby’s show is about creating a show in between having two children. At the same time, it’s a time machine for us oldies who loved the original Jurassic Park and the 90’s. These seem like contrasting themes, but it works. The nostalgia, meeting the idea of ageing and new life. It all makes sense.
The main concept of the production is hugely involving the audience to create a version of the original film but in a 2023 setting. The millionaire is replaced by Elon Musk, our audience members jump in and out as on stage characters and… in themselves are hilarious and so engaged. We all have a chance to be involved, with queues to shout out and make noises but also with a script passed around to read when we are prompted. Bibby is hot on the responses and ad lib, and enjoys the improvisation and surprises that come from us as much as they come from him. There are some Jurassic Park lovers who clearly love the comedic approach as much as Bibby does, with his love and passion coming through with knowledge and performance.
We begin to think that this is a love letter to the end of his career. His love for his young family and being away from them is expressed, alongside gorgeous images of them and our heart sinks to think this is it, after an hour of pure joy. But, while partially scripted, I like to think our involvement and enthusiasm with said script helped to solidify how much Bibby should continue making these shows. Yes, the outcome is exactly this and the planned conclusion, but I hope our responses help to make it a reality.
Jurassic Park/Dinosaur/children-person or not, Baby Dinosaur is an absolute triumph of a comedy show, from how smooth it ran, to the right involvement of the audience, to constantly belly laughs. It’s everything you want from a comedy show and more.
As long as there are people on this Earth, we will forever be asking questions about William Shakespeare. So many schools of thought as to who he (she? they?) was, their sexuality, the in depth reading between the lines of their work.
Matchmaker Theatre Productions take the unwritten, from the point of view of Shakespeare supposed rival, Christopher Marlowe and unmasked another version of Shakespeare’s history.
A small company, we have the main performer who continues as Marlowe throughout, a ghostly figure who acts as the stage hand meet musical accompaniment and a character swapper who plays a student writing about Shakespeare vs Marlowe but also delves into other minor characters throughout. Of course, we also meet Shakespeare but to tell you more about them would ruin this really interesting approach to the story.
What’s great is that the company doesn’t shy away from LGBTQIA+ suggestions but also doesn’t make it such a big thing. We see Marlowe’s relationships but it’s just like any other and isn’t highlighted particularly as some revolutionary idea – which is exactly how it should be unless it is the main theme.
The changes of scene are shown between clicks of fingers and changes of lights, switching from situation to situation but also back to talk and review the news that has come to light with the student. This is a really interesting take and works very smoothly. Our ghostly figure, while in the background, is constantly “on” with facial expressions and interest in the scene – it really makes each scene well rounded.
For me, however, it felt like there was more to go with what they could achieve. This felt slightly in its infant stage and, while funny, professional and smooth, there is certainly some room for growth.
The Real Shakespeare… is an interesting approach to the age old questions about the playwright and their rival. However, there is great potential and it would be great to see where this company take it.
In a small, circular lecture theatre, we are brought an avant-garde expression of anxiety through the forms of dance, circus, music and .. oh a Llama.
From an Australian duo, Oat Milk & Honey quite effectively use their platform to share how anxiety feels, not only for the person experiencing it but also the impact on others.
There is no narration or vocals bar the occasional breath of the moving performer and pre-recorded voice overs but the silence is filled with beautiful, original compositions which occasionally go off-piste to express the interruption anxiety can create.
It feels relatively slow paced and it would have been interesting if there had been a change of pace. There was a little of this, interrupting the seriousness with an element of comedy when a performer comes in dressed as a Llama, reflecting the fact of serotonin created from watching Llama’s run which we hear at the beginning in a voice over.
There’s no doubt that both of these performers have great talent in their own right; a talented composer and musician and a very flexible and powerful dancer, circus performer. And each part of this performance is really interesting to watch but continues at the same pace which loses attention.
Oat Milk & Honey is transcendental and soothing, with a poke of humour but needed some different speed levels to keep the intrigue.
Before this performance, it felt different to other things I have seen and reviewed because I didn’t have any expectations prior, and I didn’t feel a certain kind of energy from the audience, so I had no idea what to expect from this show. I also couldn’t make any notes when I was there, I was so engrossed that I couldn’t put anything into words.
It was based 8 months after the Aberfan disaster of 1966, which, if you don’t know, is when there were colliery spoil tips created on a mountain slope which collapsed, and it very sadly crashed into the school and surrounding homes. 116 children and 28 adults died. The play is about mothers who meet once a week in a support group, and it explores how different mothers are affected/ how they are coping with the grief of losing a child to this disaster, and a particular week where a woman from Revlon volunteers to come to Aberfan to give a makeup/ beauty demonstration to these mothers.
This was a riveting and powerful performance. There wasn’t any projection or lighting changes, which I think fitted this play because it removed the fluff and made you focus on the root. All they had was the sound effect of water dripping, as there was a leak in the building. This was powerful in itself because it symbolised the tension and grief, it symbolised the loss and it symbolised their states of melancholy.
Each character came across as strong and dealing with the grief in their own way. Sian had lost her son and her husband didn’t want to look at her after she caught him sobbing, and she wanted a child. She kept quite optimistic and was a try to keep the peace character. Marilyn kept hoping and couldn’t quite believe that her children wouldn’t ever come back. Rona swore a lot and was very abrupt, and she was looking to move out of the town with her husband because, as we later learnt, she couldn’t face seeing the other mothers around the town, couldn’t face the grief that was permanently etched on their faces. Jean was pregnant (she thinks she became pregnant a few days before the disaster) and she had a surviving daughter, but her son who she was sure would have gone places and travelled far, died in the disaster as he was in the school at the time. She resents her daughter because on the day of the disaster, her daughter had said she was sick so didn’t go into school, and at a later date her daughter had gone out to play and complained that there was no one to play with, so she resents how her daughter seems to complain a lot and is not appreciative that she is alive, but also because she seems to have favoured her son whom she lost rather than her daughter who was kept alive. I believe the character subconsciously would rather her son be alive than her daughter because she knew her son would travel and make an impact in the world, whereas she knew her daughter wouldn’t do anything, just stay in the town when she grew up. The way that Jean copes with the disaster is to believe that God had a reason for wanting all those children to be by his side, whereas Rona completely disagrees with this, and isn’t afraid to voice her opinions.
The only fragile thread that ties these women together is that their children died (in a preventable accident), and there is no way that they would come together in this way if the disaster hadn’t have happened. By the end, they were a bit closer because they understood how each other was dealing with the grief.
For me, I couldn’t relate and empathise with these characters as much as a parent would, I think, because a parent can certainly relate to the Aberfan mothers in as much as the thought of living in a world where your child has passed away seems impossible, whereas for me, I don’t think it impacted me emotionally as much as it might in the future after I have a child, because I can’t feel the same feeling as a mother, however I was still able to sympathise.
The character that came from Revlon I think was also quite integral to the story, because it was her coming that brought their feelings up, and brought them together by the end. The character (referred to as Revlon in the duration of the performance except at the end where she is revealed to be Charlotte) had a secret that related her slightly to these women. She went through losing a brother and seeing her mum deal with the grief after he died. The only way her mum could face the world is putting some makeup on, and Charlotte helped her mum when her hands were shaking so much that she couldn’t put her lipstick on. She originally volunteered to go to Aberfan and give a demonstration because she thought she could help these women feel better, but once she was there, she tried to back out because she realised how naïvely she had thought these women could feel better with makeup, but how could makeup, how could anything help these women feel better? In the end, we realised the answer; they just needed something to help them face a different world and to support each other.
Creating opportunities for a diverse range of people to experience and respond to sport, arts, culture and live events. / Lleisiau amrywiol o Gymru yn ymateb i'r celfyddydau a digwyddiadau byw
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