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Show: Swan Bake
Society: Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Venue: C venues - C royale (Venue 6)
Credits: Second Sons. Theatre (comedy, puppetry)
Type: Sardines
Author: Chris Abbott
Performance Date: 06/08/2017
Swan Bake
Chris Abbott | 08 Aug 2017 09:38am
Sooner or later at every Edinburgh Fringe, it is every reviewer’s fate to be trapped in a basement with a dozen people, all being shouted at by some sweaty actors a few inches away. It was my turn today when I saw the Second Sons production of Swan Bake at C Royale.
Attractively designed, and with a novel folding programme, the play dealt with a drug-taking lesbian failed ballet dancer in love with a nun and being abused by a Catholic priest. Standard Edinburgh fare then – but with puppets. There was in fact an interesting story to be told and the piece did hold the attention, but seemed to have been directed for a much bigger space.
All too often, it was difficult to follow the melodramatic narrative due to the ear-splitting shouting which was actually painful at times with no audience member more than 2m from the stage. The exception was Shannon Giles as Maria, who seemed to have the measure of the room and even managed to add a nifty tap solo and a cameo as a Rat Pope.
Rather than playing the main characters, the puppets were mostly bit-part players and well-operated. The play featured three good actors who simply need to fit their acting style to the miniscule venue, enabling the narrative to engage more fully with the audience; and perhaps plastic sweat guards could be provided for the front row…
- : admin
- : 06/08/2017