A Record or an OBE **1/2 (Fringe Factory until Sunday, March 16, 2008)
This show perplexed me greatly and left me asking why it was written. It wasn’t because the writing was poor, nor was it because the acting was poor, it was because the story lacked drama. Chiefly, it is the story…
Laurence Clark 12% Evil ****1/2 (Fowlers Live until Saturday, March 8, 2008)
It’s not every day I review a comedian with cerebral palsy, and I am so glad I have now had that opportunity. Laurence Clark has the most wicked sense of humour, possibly rating higher than 12% evil. His show is…
Six Pack! ***1/2 (Puppet Palace until Saturday, March 15, 2008)
This young troupe of puppeteers from the VCA, has brought a mixed bag of experimental puppetry that is intriguing and fresh. It seems you are served three shows from the repertoire of six, per performance. And each show tries something…
MARK WATSON – CAN I BRIEFLY TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE POINT OF LIFE? **** (Nova 2 until Saturday, March 15, 2008)
Mark Watson personifies the polite, self-deprecating stand up comic, bumbling through life stumbling from one rich vein of comic material to another. He is careful to manage our expectations, playing down his comedic skills so as to surprise us time…
The angel and the red priest **1/2 (Adelaide Centre For Arts until Thursday, March 6, 2008)
I’m afraid I do not agree with the publicity blurb for this play, which claims it can, “touch our heartstrings without them going out of key.” For this reviewer, this tribute to Vivaldi had too much Boston Pops sweetness. The…
Tombola! *** (SA German Association until Wednesday, March 5, 2008)
These two crazy Canadians (self-proclaimed) have delivered much of the promise of the ancient, theatrical art of Commedia Dell’Arte. This style of theatre, most popular in Italy from the 1400s to the 1800s, involves creating scenarios for stock characters to play…
American Poodle *** (Fringe Factory until Sunday, March 16, 2008)
I am a fan of the many works Guy Masterson brings to the Adelaide Fringe but this show disappointed me on a number of counts. Firstly, unlike other productions where focus is given to the artistic development of a theatrical…
Pluck – The Titanic Show **** (Royalty Theatre until Sunday, March 16, 2008)
Pluck triumphs on the genteel side of the Fringe with The Titanic Show. This celebration of the musicians on the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic distils the Edwardian spirit of the early 1900s and uses this setting of manners…
Township Stories ****1/2 (Royalty Theatre until Saturday, March 9, 2008)
This is a profoundly disturbing and unsettling production showcasing a grotesque view of life in South African townships. This is not a documentary or opinion piece, there is no sermon in the script, this is instead a story about a…
Trouble on Planet Earth ***1/2 (Fringe Factory until Sunday, March 16, 2008)
This experimental show is worth experiencing, not for the script of the acting, but for the experience. The intriguing element that provides interest for this show, is the small gadget each audience member is given, enabling them to register votes throughout…