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Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
Gwynn Williams: Domestic Goddess
Verdict: Comedy of ageing
Edinburgh 05 - Baby Belly - 15:30 (0:55)
Gwynn Williams: Domestic Goddess is a one-hour, one-woman, show featuring Sarah Coomes as Gwynn Williams.
Gwynn Williams is an elderly Welsh woman with flour on her face. She gives lessons on how to be creative, through such outlets available to
old age pensioners as cooking, painting, and flower arranging. She intersperses the demonstrations with micro-lectures about the divinity of
creativity. She aims to bring light into lives by showing how - by being creative - people become part of the Godhead.
However, being old, the only thing Gwynn Williams succeeds in creating is a mess. It is a slapstick monologue, with physical humour that mostly
involves dropping
things or falling down.
It is risky to entertain using a character who is slow, repetitive and annoying. Some shows pull it off. Not everyone will agree that this one does.
There are few surprises to Gwynn Williams after the first 5 minutes. Attention can wander from the show for long stretches without missing much.
It's brave to make fun of old people’s infirmities. With a substantially ageing population, many people face long, empty futures - and there's room for
humour. Without some greater insight into growing old or redeeming feature, though, Domestic Goddess is just breaking a taboo. It is unclear if much hard
creative work or preparation went into this show, or whether a facile premise was found, and a bunch of props collected to flop around with on stage.
Company Credits: Written and performed by Sarah Coomes. Technical Operator (tonight) - Ross McGivern; (Edinburgh) - Venue Staff.
END
(c) Brad Hall 2005
reviewed Thursday 28 July 05 / Canal Café Theatre
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
