Andy Balloch is one of those performers who relishes being on stage. He's genuinely delighted to be up there and bringing people happiness and escapism. In Am I The Drama?, Balloch takes his audience on a (theme park) ride inside the thoughts that occur in his head, and after watching this show, it's definitely one where you need to strap yourself in tight.
Balloch is a gifted storyteller who moves at a frenetic pace that could easily derail the performance but he knows when to step on the breaks and when to start speeding up. There are a couple of speed bumps along the way but the audience is in good hands with the comedian. (This is also where I stop with the ride analogies).
Oliver Ayres has packed a lot into twenty-minutes with I’m Ready To Talk Now, but this well-considered immersive show for one person at a time patiently and intelligently explores his journey of being diagnosed, and living, with a chronic medical condition.
The performance starts with us sitting on a chair and facing a white screen. We put on a pair of headphones, and we begin to hear Ayres' voice as he explains how he relates to his illness and the empathy (or lack of he extends to others), frustration, anger and loneliness he encounters. Ayres’ monologue is obviously rehearsed but his natural pauses and uses of 'like' and 'umm' gives the impression of this recording being off-the-cuff and authentic. It genuinely feels like he is unburdening himself with these thoughts and opening himself up to us.
Ancient rivalries are brought to life in wrestling show Mythos: Ragnarok. We follow Odin, the Norse God of War and of the Dead and his half-brother Loki as they battle giants, gods, enemies, and each other, to create the world of Asgard. It's a straightforward story which doesn't bring a huge amount of excitement but that is where the wrestling comes in.
The cast is made up entirely of professional wrestlers, and while some of the acting is not the most convincing, it's the spectacle of the sport we are here for. It's fascinating being quite up close to the bouts and anticipating what move will come next. Precise choreography ensures there is no risk of (serious) injury when people are thrown onto the ground, body slammed or have their limbs bent in unnatural positions, and the ensemble are clearly skilled and giving it their all.
It's clear that Bria McCarthy has had an interest in dragons since before Game of Thrones made them cool again. In Dragon Hearts, McCarthy tells us the stories of various dragons through time using shadow puppetry along with some other creative forms and styles but unfortunately this production falls short of effective storytelling.
There are a few
stagecraft issues, one of the more obvious ones being the sightlines. Unless
you sit in the front row or the front row of the high chairs, it is difficult
to see the text that is displayed on the screen with the obstruction of the heads of people seated
in front of you. The music is unaffecting and quite repetitive and it does little
to support the emotional depth of the scenes that McCarthy hopes to instil.
There is a strong need for a dramaturgical eye to finesse these stories and
allow audiences with limited or next to no knowledge of the tales to be swept
away on the journey intended for us.
It seems to be an unwritten rule that the later your Fringe Festival show is scheduled, the more outlandish and wacky the show will be. Jazz or a Bucket of Blood is a great example of this. Performed by
Ange Lavoipierre and Jane Watt, the hour of sketch comedy takes us to some weird but extremely amusing places with the two performers (hopefully) playing extremely heightened versions of themselves.The matching outfits of grey shorts and blue shirts give them a childlike disposition, like they are wearing a school uniform, lending some credibility to them being somewhat naive and innocent with what they say and do. Some. Because a lot of what they say and do is very much on the other side of that spectrum. Try Lavoipierre's instructions on how to make friends and you'll probably realise this is most definitely not the way to make friends - but a great way to endear yourselves to the audience in your comedy show.
Isabella Perversi has written three plays, each one dealing with heavy emotions. With Cry Baby she explains that she wants to branch out and create a piece of work that is different. Something that is light, and happy but she also lists a number of other requisites about what she wants and doesn't want to do.
However, no matter what she tries, she seems to fall back into the pit of sadness that she's building an artistic reputation for. Perversi has set up a good structure to explore these worries and she starts off with a burst of colour and movement as she removes her black oversized coat and trousers to reveal (and revel in) a bright orange leotard. She energetically gets into an aerobic routine, brimming with forced positivity that eventually begins to wear her down and she succumbs to the sads. But that's OK, she'll simply move on and try something else to help guide her writing process.
Riley Nottingham is sick and tired of making choices. So he's not making them anymore. In Riley Nottingham Needs Your Help, Nottingham enlists his audience to guide him through life like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel while he sings about his anxieties and worries as he plays the piano.