As part of MimeLondon, Companie le Fils du Grand Réseau bring us this hilarious “silent” comedy, Fish Bowl. While part of MimeLondon and, as highlighted by quotation marks over the silent, it is not wholly a silent mime example, it is a whole lot of fun and chaos.
Fish Bowl is about three apartments in the same building, each containing a very different resident. Their tiny living quarters are sliced in half to allow us to see within, for their daily lives spread across all seasons and events. While on a large stage that is the Peacock Theatre, this one set has the sense of its small areas enhanced by the performer’s over-exaggerated movements and clever positioning of the staging interiors. For example, the tiny hallway, in reality, opens across the whole stage, but the performers contort themselves around the boxes and keeping to this small slither to really show how tiny this little world is.
Each character is starkly different, and there is something cartoon-like in the stereotyped universes they inhabit. We have a suited moped man whose flat is all white and clean, helped by his habit of hoovering his shoes as he enters; the hippy type who is full to the brim of items from boxes to furniture, leading to his sleeping area to consist of a hammock which evokes laughter when we first see it; and lastly, a pretty female whose flat is all pink and girly yet full of comfort. Despite these differences, we see the group warm to one another, the men lusting after the woman, friendships begin and fade and rekindle, and these character’s stories go in directions you never would have thought.
The humour is brilliantly done – a lot is reliant on physicality and involves clambering the staging or clever prop trickery, with some of the hilarity coming from age old comedy such as toilet humour or a peak at someone in their pants. Others are a bit darker but no less hilarious and shocks us in the transition.
When I highlighted silent in air quotes, this was to mean that the production isn’t wholly silent. However, this doesn’t diminish from the great physicality and some which is shocking and surprising. Music accompanies parts, there are sound effects and the only vocal sources from the characters are almost “Mr Bean”-like, with exclamatory noises or one words chorused. We understand everything that happens and these sound bites only add to the great action on stage.
Fish Bowl is a highly engaging feat of physical comedy, pulling from ordinary and relatable characters and lives but heightening the action to create a hilarious and fun production.
We all know the rags-to-riches fairy-tale Cinderella: a beautiful, kind-hearted young woman, stuck scrubbing floors while her stepsister’s parade around in all their wickedness. However, with a little help from her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella is whisked off to the Royal Ball, where she promptly falls in love with the Prince. There’s just one catch- the magic expires at midnight. Cue a frantic exit, one abandoned shoe (sorry, slipper), and a Prince determined to search the entire kingdom for the foot that fits. Spoiler alert: he finds Cinderella and, of course, they live happily ever after. Throw in her bestie, Buttons, a Fairy Godmother with a wardrobe fit for a queen (I’ll let you decide which type of queen!) and a blend of fantastical sets, props and dancing villagers and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a standout Venue Cymru production!
A brilliantly written script, this panto does not disappoint in its nod to tradition with plenty of hilarious one liners, often alluding to well-known North Wales locations, lots of ‘oh no, you didn’ts’ etc., a frenzied 12 Days of Christmas complete with custard pies and, a highlight, Buttons and the Fairy Godmother discussing ‘Billy from Bala’s Bullocks’…you can imagine where this sketch has the potential to go…! The chemistry between John Evans (Buttons) and Simon Nehan (Fairy Godmother/Dame Dolly Penrhyn) is unmistakable- both consummate professionals and no stranger to Venue Cymru’s stage (in fact, Dame Dolly mentions how confusing her feelings are for Buttons as she played his mother last year!) Evans is the master of improvisation and clearly extremely comfortable in this role and Nehan excels as the Dame, with wonderful comic timing and just enough bawdy behaviour!
Another duo with a clear connection is 2025 Britain’s Got Talent finalists Hannah Roberts and Fran Cottington as wicked stepsisters Whitney and Britney Bardashian (see what they did there?!). Both local, Han & Fran are literally ‘living the dream,’ riding on the wave of their talent show success. However, these two are not to be underestimated. They have already proved they can sing and that they’re comfortable in front of the cameras and now this powerhouse pair are conquering the professional theatre world. Both seem very ‘at home’ here and bounce off each other perfectly, neither one stealing the limelight from the other. Performing a laugh-out-loud rewrite of ABBA’s Fernando (an ode to popular restaurant chain Nando’s!) along with other ABBA classics and more, continue like this and Team Han & Fran will no doubt go a long way!
Another local performer is Corrine Cherish who simply shines as Cinderella. Despite being the title character, this role can often be forgettable. However, Cherish truly puts her own stamp on the story’s heroine, and not only does she make a stunning lead, her vocals also stun- no more so than at the end of Act One- as Cinderella makes her way to the ball in her newly transformed coach, Cherish’s soaring vocals, combined with a beautifully magical piece of stagecraft (which I won’t spoil here), create a surprisingly emotional and memorable end to the first half.
This year’s ‘celebrity’ panto stars are Strictly Come Dancing’s AJ Pritchard and his brother, also a professional dancer, best known for Dancing with the Stars, Ireland, and his appearance on Love Island. Unfortunately, both give disappointing performances, often stumbling over lines, and displaying acting talent about as wooden as Cinderella’s broom! I’m not sure I’ve ever attended a production of Cinderella in which the Prince (AJ Pritchard) doesn’t sing at all and, although Curtis Pritchard as Dandini is given a few musical moments, he mimes every time which is very off-putting! I can’t help but think the production would have benefited from some more local talent rather than being reliant on ‘names’ to put bums on seats!
The cast is mostly strong, with a lively and dynamic ensemble who keep the energy up and whimsical, cartoon-like sets, clever lighting design and fabulous costumes all add to the magic. The musical numbers strike a fun balance between timeless classics and modern hits- though, like Cinderella’s night at the ball, some feel a tad rushed. All songs, however, are played live by the company’s fantastic band, led by Musical Director Shaun Critten, who even pops up for his own mini moments in the show, adding an extra sprinkle of charm!
Overall, Venue Cymru’s Cinderella is a true spectacle which could have been propelled to a five-star production with a handful of minor alterations. It was wonderful to see the theatre full on a Sunday afternoon and a pleasure to hear families thoroughly enjoying themselves in the lead up to Christmas. For a feel-good, festive experience with lots of laughs and local talent, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend a visit to Venue Cymru this panto-season!
Cinderella. Venue Cymru, Llandudno Friday December 12th, 2025- Saturday January 3rd, 2026 Cinderella | Venue Cymru
CAST AJ Pritchard Curtis Pritchard John Evans Hannah Roberts Fran Cottington Simon Nehan Corrine Cherish Ella Goody Connor Pearson Sadie Wagstaff Sam Woods
CREATIVE TEAM Associate Producer Laura Taylor Second Associate Producer Jo Longworth Writer Tam Ryan Director Alli Coyne Choreographer Eddie Slattery Musical Arranger Steve Clark Musical Director Shaun Critten Lighting Designer Ben Payne Sound Designer Matt Karmios
BAND Md/Keys Shaun Critten Drums Michael ‘Ozzie’ Osborn Bass Dominic Palmer
FOR CINDERELLA Production Manager Andy Pye Company Manager Matthew Ollerhead Deputy Stage Manager Heather Milne Assistant Stage Manager Mali Barratt Wardrobe Supervisor Paula Cain Wardrobe Assistant Imogen Duke Dresser Alaw Broster Production Carpenter Simon Somerset Holmes Lighting Programmer Sophie Schmidt Production Sound Matt Gibson Sound No 1 Jason Jones Dance Captain Ella Goodie
As a book lover, and, despite this, very much being influenced by the “book’s cover” Garry Starr was plastered around all things ed fringe and I knew, I would just need to see what this about. What I actually saw, was way beyond anything I ever expected.
Garry Starr: Classic Penguins is a show that attempts to go through every single penguin book within the time allowed, creating hilarious comedy through quick and basic acting out of the titles, audience engagement and … oh… a whole heap of nakedness. That’s right. As we enter, there’s a aesthetic of a villain’s ice lair, with Starr in a high backed chair and clearly a top hat and tails. But when he swivels around, we see Starr at his full nudeness. The show proceeds in this fashion, with much lewd comedy sought from this, some…ahem… intimate puppetry and zero boundaries in physicality. At some point, you get used to this and suddenly Starr will pull out something out of his hat (metaphorically) that takes us back to the rude comedy basics. I will say, that the nakedness doesn’t really add anything to the performance – there’s no real rhyme or reason, but you can’t be mad because it’s totally absurd and ridiculous and entire chaos. It’s such a mad production, that you actually do not stop laughing, whether specifically prompted or just because you cannot believe what is happening.
The actual “recreation” of the books are very clever. Very to the point and as described, there are bits that are heightened to either gross us out or make us shocked, and others that actually are physically impressive. To ourselves, we start to guess what’s next. Most of the time, the acting begins before we are told the true title and, any book lover, begins to try to get ahead of Starr and what he is recreating.
Starr himself is having a whale of a time – with no qualms of his state of dress or interactions with us, he is laughing and enjoying every moment as much as us. As with any audience interaction, there are curve balls and he relishes this and uses it very much to his advantage to pull more and more laughs from us. In pockets of the production, we actually feel as if we are just Starr’s friends, being as silly and ridiculous as he is, despite being within a large, sold out venue.
Garry Starr: Classic Penguins is an absolutely nuts and nonsensical production, with ranging high to low levels of comedy and concept. It is mania of the best kind and one of the most bizarre but brilliant productions at fringe.
If you were expecting a drag act, you are * some what* wrong. KINDER, while all the posters would tell you so, seems as if we are embarking on a drag act, we are in fact embarking on something a lot more.
KINDER is a deep and emotional production based on a drag artist at a time when their plans completely change. Instead of their debut on stage as their drag performance, they are in fact booked for a reading hour at the local library with children. What this triggers is a monologued production, with elements of high quality lip syncing performance, reflecting on a personal childhood and the state of children and families going forward.
The storytelling is deep and personal. We feel privileged to be part of something so sensitive and in a clearly vulnerable place. While the story is told, Stewart is slowly changing into a new outfit, looking through newly moved boxes, finding things that trigger a memory or an opinion. We learn a lot about them and how they came to be, while they also talk out loud their personal opinions and wants for the future. We feel close to Stewart, and they do speak to every one of us in that room. There are occasional moments of comedy, in the way that you find in a conversation, but this isn’t really meant to be that production, or so it would seem.
The lip-syncing moments are fierce and very professional – these injections liven and break up the monologue, much in a way that Shakespeare would use a light relief in one of his serious plays. Stewart easily commands the stage and takes up the space, not allowing your eyes to wander elsewhere. So, when we return to the one sided discussion, they suddenly seem a little lost in the space, and the tidying or searching becomes a little monotonous an action.
KINDER is a bit of a mismatch of a production – it has really strong moments, such as the lip syncing parts or the beginning of the artists vulnerability, but this sadly becomes a bit of the same, losing our attention and wanting something a bit more.
As we confront the space, we see three human sized cages in front of us, ready for us to then confront existence with three chickens.
That sentence in itself seems surreal and of course, it means that this production is also surreal. Lights come up and we see three different coloured chickens in front of us in human size, sat in the cages, staring out at us. Over the next hour, these chickens contemplate existence, time, their lives and what’s to come, all while they wait for their randomised fate of the broiler.
Along with the differentiating colours, the personalities of each chicken is different and in some ways giving a sense of the film Chicken Run – we have a hen who is a little wacky, a cockerel who is more matter of fact and another cockerel who is a little more of a higher class. They have been thrown together in unfortunate circumstances, bouncing off one another, creating naturalistic humour in their differences. They do feel like they have been plucked out of the famous film, with similar thoughts, interactions and a desire to escape their fate.
In amongst their interactions, the spotlight is drawn on each of them for a monologue about their life and existence. Their contemplation, while chicken lead, feels philosophical, and does give a feeling of something avant garde and thought provoking. Within these moments and their interactions, there are elements of humour but it is small and subtle, and it’s difficult sometimes to tell if this is meant to be humorous or an attempt at high art. Whatever it is, it is a piece of theatre you’d expect to go to at the fringe, for the eccentricity alone.
3 Chickens Confront Existence is a thought provoking and philosophical and avant garde piece of theatre, well catered for those seeking to discover the unusual at fringe. It however felt a little lost on what it was meant to be, whether serious or a comedy. Either way, it was a well performed and interesting production.
Everyone loves a good murder mystery. Popularity of this genre has increased with Hollywood films such as Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club, so it feels fitting that it comes to and is popular at the world of Ed Fringe.
As the title suggests, this production takes all the combos of the quintessential murder mystery, but puts the plot into our hands. Murder mystery meets improv – there are prompts and certain things in place to help, but with the help of the audience, how this actually transpires is completely unplanned. In our scenario, this is the case of the big sausage, set in a p*ss up in a brewery, which already gives us giggles and that typical British humour. There are often little innuendos and suggestions that continue the typical British humour in that wink wink nudge nudge kind of way.
The set itself is resplendent – very well made, featuring on quite a large stage with sold out seats. There’s a great sense of “Cluedo” with the chosen aesthetic and the monochrome colour choices – one character is all in yellow, one in green e.t.c. Our host has a essence of Miss Marple meets Jessica Fletcher, with slightly stereotyped and exaggerated elements in her dress and conduct. She has the power to stop and start and entice certain moments, with a tongue and cheek essence that clearly shows a great relationship and banter culture with her fellow actors by cheekily making things a little harder for them. Moments of corpsing comes from all of them; silly suggestions, recognition of Jessica Marple’s attempts to throw them, the comedy that comes from the minds of their colleagues as they improvise and, in this big space, this lets us warm to them and be part of their group.
Overall, Murder She Didn’t Write is a brilliantly and professionally constructed audience participatory improvisation show. It effortlessly links all the stereotypes of a murder mystery, engaging with us for prompts to continue the comedy and showing a real skill in creating a whodunnit on the spot.
More than ever, we are concerned about how the world is. It is slowly decaying and the extinction of wildlife continues. In this one man performance, we really take a look at this on a mass scale in a clever piece of performance art.
Tom Bailey is already in full performance mode. With a basic presentation on the wall behind and accompanied by a vocal announcement, there are bizarre names, latin, some are comical, some unusual, some complex, this prompts Bailey to attempt to impersonate the animal. As soon as we are sat, he interacts with us, climbing amongst us, or encroaching on our personal space, in a way animals would. We are also asked to take a card and later think about what the animal may be, how they may hunt and live. This is all very comical and fun, full of energy and changes in movement.
However, once we are lulled into this comfortable state, we are starkly hit with the reality. A almost pre-show, durational performance, Bailey trekked across miles, with a sheet listing the hundreds of thousands of animals extinct, creating photography pieces in these landscapes. In person, this is accompanied by an explosion of bones across the space, which he continues to perform physical theatre amongst, changing the comical dynamic to something blunt and dark. This combination has not only made us comfortable to accept the change, but puts us in a position of realising reality in a in-your-face way. It is clever and ever so moving as well as highly performative.
Wild Thing! sets out to make a serious point about the state of the world and its demise, with the use of clever comedy to soften us until hitting us with the dark reality. It is fantastically performed and curated to be not only a piece of theatre but performance art with a host of supporting media, making very important commentary on the destruction of the environment.
Welcome to the wild, wild west, run by your fearsome and hysterical local cowboy, Bangtail, where no one is safe, no matter where you sit.
Lil Wenker brings the character of Bangtail, the rootingist, tootingist, bad boy around. Unable to be shot, and a riot with the ladies, it all soon crumbles, when his audience-based nemesis manages to injure him. What is his calling now? Why that of accountancy of course! But is either his true calling?
Bangtail can almost be seen as a two parter: we begin being introduced to Bangtail, with his western tropes played on for satire (think spoons instead of boot spurs), where he immediately gets down to business of interaction with us. We are soon barn animals, a select few becoming key characters such as the nemesis or local drunk lady, and his interactions with not only them but us is full of comedy, with smart writing, slapstick and clowning skills. He’s not afraid to prolong the laughter, ignoring the rule of three and pushing the boundaries, leaving us in hysterics.
This continues when changing to the next part, his accountancy era. With clever writing and direction, the comedy and clowning is still there, new and fresh but old ideas are newly presented, almost as a satirical flash back to the past. The audience characters continue but in different guises and so we continue to find hilarity in the basics already set for us. The physical comedy continues, with gusto and high energy and we almost become delirious through giggles. However, the accountancy part felt more into a thought provoking part of the narrative and, while still with moments of comedy, lost a little of the giddiness we felt in the first part.
Bangtail is smart, it is high-level comedy and clowning, with very clever writing and overall concept. Lil Wenker is nothing but a fantastic performer, holding our attention and with instant ability to make us laugh.
If you are looking to have a riotous fever dream of a time, please see SLUGS. With no idea what I was going into, I fell into an absurdist pit of chaos and colour.
SLUGS is a show about nothing. Nothing at all. Or that’s what they want you to believe. In fact its deep commentary on art, artists, the queer community and the quest to bring back the bonkers to the theatre scene. Think clever puppetry projection, bizarre and sometimes grotesque scenes featuring being nude and some beans (separately), high audience interaction and interjections of electronica. Think of a more adult version of The Mighty Boosh, and you will be somewhere near.
The Creepy Boys have no filter, no boundaries and this is what makes this such a hilarious and bizarre show. It is absurdist at its highest and is so unbelievably funny, you struggle hard to breathe. Kruger and Grummett are a fantastic pair, bouncing off one another and following as one mind into the chaos. Two peas in a pod in every sense, one cannot do without the other to propel their high concept and strange art directly into our faces. They equally have little boundary with us, involving us and not being afraid to offend – luckily, their audience is of the same mind. They are highly energetic and the pace of the show is at its top velocity consistently, one can only imagine the weeks of sleep they need after.
They use every inch of space and multimedia available to them – from basic theatrical and performance art skills, to projection on the back wall where they produce skilled and mad puppetry scenes, as well as climbing into the crowd and across seats, not one bit of the room is unexplored.
SLUGS is almost hard to put into words, but in all the best ways. It is utter brilliance and complete insanity and completely what fringe is about.
Set in Summerhall’s anatomy lecture theatre, we spend an hour speeding through, almost at the speed of light, feminist history of the known and unknown.
Aether, performed by TheatreGoose and written by Emma Howlett explores our human fascination with the scientific. We are propelled from modern day to ancient history to more recent centuries, where discoveries and investigations are made to try to understand the unknown. All with a female at the centre, we see how science is conceived into other ideals such as witchcraft or magic.
TheatreGoose have almost made this play specifically for this space. Arming us with whiteboards and pens, we immediately feel as if we are part of a lecture, engaging with us later in just that fashion. The circular space in front of us features only a blue curtain that is played with throughout, but still managing, with the use of a handy projector (if you’re old enough to remember the ones with the plastic film that you swapped in and out), to utilise the small space by projecting onto the ceiling above – although, blink, and you may miss it!
The performers are all brilliant in their own rights, each with their own unique take, whether this is within the ensemble or in individual characters. With very little props or pieces of costume, they add these subtleties to try and make it clear the change along with their own changes in movement or voice.
While it’s well performed and looks the part, for me the story-line felt slightly disjointed. Whether it’s my own lack of knowledge in the science sphere, I struggled to find what the connections between the stories were and how this related to the modern character. There is maybe one or two moments of her investigating this but it doesn’t cover them all. Each story in their own right was interesting and well presented, but as a whole, they did not feel as if they quite knitted together.
Aether is a really interesting approach to joining science and art, with a great use of the space and wonderful performances. However, the stories themselves seemed separated with no clear conclusion of how they were to come together.
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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