Camden Fringe 2019 Archives - Page 12 of 16

★★

“a series of rambling vignettes of contemporary British political life that Shakespeare’s best lines cannot help”

Described as a “Shakespearean tragicomedy” in the promotional material, Boris Rex is about Boris Johnson’s rise to the highest office in the land. The script is liberally laced with quotes from Julius Caesar, Henry V, Richard III, Richard II and even the closing lines from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. But even the magnificent language, often updated to suit our present times, cannot disguise the lack of a Shakespearean hero, or even an anti-hero, in this piece. Despite the energy that the performers bring to this script, Boris Rex, written by Charlie Dupré, is ultimately a series of rambling vignettes of contemporary British political life that Shakespeare’s best lines cannot help.

The four performers in Boris Rex, directed by Alexandra Spencer-Jones, do entertaining work with spot on imitations of Boris and his circle. Charlie Dupré’s arch portrayal of puppeteer in chief Jacob Rees-Mogg is particularly enjoyable, and Lydia Cashman more than holds her own playing Theresa May, Samantha Cameron and a pitch perfect Michael Gove. Henry Bauckham’s David Cameron is very recognisable, and if Bauckham’s Jeremy Corbyn seems insignificant compared to the other conspirators in Boris’ circle, that might be a fault of the character, rather than of the acting. Last, but certainly not least, Boris himself, played by Luke Theobald, is instantly recognisable under the stage lights, if not always audible or understandable. But all credit to Theobald for taking on the roles of both Boris and the ghost of Margaret Thatcher at the same time in the best scene of the evening, where quotes from Julius Caesar actually seem quite appropriate.

As is often the case when watching a drama based on a chronological approach, Boris the character is obscured behind the progression of events, and the audience is left trying to figure out whether there was ever a grand plan in mind, which might have served as the basis for a plot. Or is Boris Rex just a study of the eponymous character’s ruthless grasping of opportunities whenever and wherever they might appear? Even Time himself, who makes a brief appearance to pull things together, does not throw much light on the matter. But perhaps the point of Boris Rex is just to tell the all too familiar story of a man who reaches for the stars without having much reason to do so, other than to satisfy his own longings for distinction.

Reviewed by Dominica Plummer

Photography by Paddy Gormley

Drag What?!

The Phoenix Arts Club

Reviewed – 7th August 2019

★★★

“it is nevertheless fantastic to see so many exciting new artists starting out and defying convention in drag”

Fresh from Michael Twaits’ ‘Art of Drag’ course, the stars of ‘Drag What?!’ are new to the stage and ready to change the drag world for good. Our host Prospero opens the show with a promise: this will be a night of the “most unusual drag” we have ever experienced. And it’s a fantastically varied line up, that brings together people of multiple genders and unexpected skillsets.

Lola del Fuego or ‘Miss Visa Denied’ is the cleaner, drafted in for the night and full of enthusiasm, ready to showcase her burlesque potential. Next up, Lx Motley delivers a powerful spoken word piece called ‘I’m not yelling, I’m just tired’ about coping with the constant backlash against non-binary people in real life and online. Lx Motley returns to close the show later in the night, with a fierce lipsync. Professor Q. Cumber, as the name suggests, is a cucumber enthusiast, a topic area rife with the possibility for innuendo and phallic imagery. The performer is clearly having a brilliant time onstage, and it’s infectious. Perrie Alore circles the piece back to its titular question, challenges societally held assumptions about who qualifies as a drag artist. Prospero, a bisexual drag wizard as well as hosting, combines a conversation about bisexuality with magic ropes, and some very large cards.

Will Actually, “gentleman poet” and comedian is a particular highlight. The poetry is witty, well-observed and eloquent, each piece fronted with an introduction as funny and engaging as the poems themselves. Will is an accomplished and sophisticated performer with a twinkle in their eye.

Veneer’s act is a lipsync performance about living with Borderline Personality Disorder. It is a performance that feels genuine and personal, and as a result carries massive emotional impact. In the intimate cabaret set up of the Phoenix Art Club, I leave the night feeling like I know all of the performers far better than an audience member ever really can.

Some of the acts are smoother and more polished than others. Many of these performers are at the beginning of their careers and it shows, but it is nevertheless fantastic to see so many exciting new artists starting out and defying convention in drag. Full of heart and promise, this is a collective to watch out for, and an undeniably enjoyable evening.

Tristan Bates Theatre

Reviewed – 9th August 2019

★★

“a series of rambling vignettes of contemporary British political life that Shakespeare’s best lines cannot help”

Reviewed by Dominica Plummer

Photography by Paddy Gormley

Boris Rex

Tristan Bates Theatre until 12th August as part of Camden Fringe 2019

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

The Phoenix Arts Club

Reviewed – 7th August 2019

★★★

“it is nevertheless fantastic to see so many exciting new artists starting out and defying convention in drag”

Will Actually, “gentleman poet” and comedian is a particular highlight. The poetry is witty, well-observed and eloquent, each piece fronted with an introduction as funny and engaging as the poems themselves. Will is an accomplished and sophisticated performer with a twinkle in their eye.

Reviewed by Amelia Brown

Drag What?!

The Phoenix Arts Club as part of Camden Fringe 2019

Last ten shows covered by this reviewer: