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drinks Monday 2 June 08
DUBLIN ... Colman Higgins describes the scope and history of Dublin Gay Theatre Festival ... and reviews two of its shows ... Down Dangerous Passes Road ... Confessions of A Mormon Boy /// LONDON ... film on now ... La Question Humaine / Heartbeat Detector /// BRIGHTON ... It's on till 26 May and here's at least 20 Things you might want to know about Brighton Fringe /// PEOPLE ... Who was there at Fringe Report's First Monday 5 May - photographs & article /// CULTURE ... One Culture ... film screening 30 May booking now ... details
The Bubonic Play
Verdict: Wonderfully dirty farce
Edinburgh 05 - Pleasance Queen Dome - 18:40 (19:35) 3-29 (not 10,17) Aug 05
The Bubonic Play is a farce set in 14th Century England. There's a cast of three (2M, 1F). It runs for 55 minutes.
Lord George of Ponsonby (Jamie Glassman) eyes his busty ward Mathilde (Clare Thomson), now she's 18. But she's in love with a banjo-playing Minstrel (Mat Baynton). The bubonic plague threatens them all. Action moves from Ponsonby Hall to its climax in Leamington Spa. En route, no knob gag is missed, no sexual position unsimulated. And no breasts remain unshaken.
The Bubonic Play has an extremely filthy script, bristling with very funny gags. But most of the humour is from the individual and combined talents of the remarkable cast.
Jamie Glassman's Lord George does unusual things with his face, and speech - and uses his handsomely ample body for some gross and funny physical comedy. Jamie Glassman's roguish performance delights throughout.
Clare Thomson's Mathilde shakes bosoms charmingly. Mathilde takes fake coyness to its extreem - tousling her hair into a frenzy, lifting her skirt, showing her pants back and front (there are no half-measures in The Bubonic Play). All with a wonderful smile. Clare Thomson brings grace, elegance, fine dance moves, depth of characterisation, and subtlety, to a part that is deceptively complex.
Mat Baynton's Minstrel carries an extra-large penis in tight costume, and strums excellently on his petite mandolin. The Minstrel is impish, overtly sexual, and poignant. Mat Baynton delights with his warm and endearing performance.
The Bubonic Play has elements of pantomime, with Mathilde as Cinderella, Minstrel as Buttons, Lord George as Baron Hardup. It has the same cartoon-like quality, and flashes of gentle audience participation. There's the mixture of script, physical theatre, songs - and films and puppetry. But it creates its own genre - and is very definitely an adult show.
The Punch & Judy puppet sequence is a pure gem of original comedy. Severed body-parts litter the stage. It incorporates a feminist debunking of penis-boasting in a hilarious routine of domestic violence from both participants - that defines new territory of bad taste.
Costumes by Rosa Cienfuegos make an immense contribution to the production. Mathilde's gorgeous red dress and hat; Minstrel's extra-tight motley; Lord George's almost-Arabian green robe and head-dress.
Cal McCrystal's direction is light, springy, subtle, and superbly gross. There's a grace and cleverness to every detail of the production that can only come from tight union of director and cast, and a constant eye for the potential comedy of each moment.
Songs include Françoise Hardy's All Over The World, the traditional
Whistling Gypsy; Colours Of My Life. Each of the actors has a fine voice. The songs are directed (by Eamonn Dougan) to use their voices skilfully in solo and chorus.
Designer Lucy Bradridge creates an exotic and atmospheric set - from simple components - that adds immeasurably to the production.
Cast Credits: (alpha order): Mat Baynton - Minstrel. Jamie Glassman - Lord George of Ponsonby.
Clare Thomson - Mathilde. Film: Childey (Small Girl) - Cal McCrystal's niece.
Company Credits: Devised by - Piggy Nero & Cal McCrystal. Director - Cal McCrystal. Musical Director - Eamonn Dougan. Designer - Lucy Bradridge. Costumes - Rosa Cienfuegos. Technical Operator (Etcetera Theatre) - Ben Gates; (Edinburgh) - Venue Staff. Production Company - Piggy Nero. Promotion Company - It's Alright For Some: (alpha order): Zena Barrie & Michelle Flower.
END
John Park
reviewed Monday 25 July 05 / Etcetera Theatre, London
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008
