Mea Culpa is a representation of the seven deadly sins in character pieces, songs and poetry.

It opens with a working of the story of man's downfall in the Garden of Eden. From there it meanders through a series of episodes, including a not-so-sweet ditty about lust, a fashion show of racism and homophobia and a prayer to the wonders of shampoo products.

The group take on several different characters and keep up the energy throughout - whether they are rolling on the floor, dipping their faces in buckets of water or rubbing up against each other, Adam-and-Eve style.

The problem is that it is all a bit of a muddle. Which deadly sin they are representing is not always clear - at times it seems they are all jumbled up together, along with other less-deadly sins, in what eventually becomes a rant about society.

There are references to a number of different ideas which are hammered home but never explained, such as two stinging, yet inconsequential, attacks on the Royal Family.

The film Se7en - clearly the inspiration behind the show - is referred to throughout, culminating with a song about a lawyer who bleeds to death (one of the victims in the movie).

The performances are on the whole respectable, though there is a tendency to fall over words. It is the episodes themselves that drift, towards no apparent meaning.

Cast Credits: Performed by The Drama Queens: (alpha order): Christopher Gurney. Cat Nickless. Becky Page. David Robson. Plum Stubbings.

Company Credits: Writer - Natalia Nagy & Plum Stubbings. Director - Natalia Nagy. Technical Support - Amanda Miers. Producer - uncredited. Company - The Drama Queens. Camden Fringe Credits: Directors (alpha order): Zena Barrie, Michelle Flower. Box Office: Etcetera Theatre - Malcolm Keen; Liberties - Martin Donnelly.

END

(c) Bo Wilson 2007

reviewed Wednesday 15 August 07 / Etcetera Theatre

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008