The second week of the Bath Fringe Festival 2017 got off to a great start on Sunday 4th June when Brave Bold Drama delighted their young audience members with the tale of Alf the Highwayman, told through imaginative movement, song and a beautifully-created set.
The audience roared with laughter as comedian Luke Graves (pictured above left) took to the stage on Sunday evening with his hilarious show Husband of the Bride.
Monday 5th June saw the talented Theatre With Teeth from Exeter University perform a new piece of theatre about Virginia Woolf (Woolf - pictured above right). Audiences and reviewers alike were wowed by this beautifully-crafted and staged production: "dreamlike in its structure and striking in its execution...One to watch indeed!"
ThreeDumb Theatre receive rave review for
I thought I might be Jet Li
(but it turns out I'm not)
Tuesday night saw the opening performance of ThreeDumb Theatre's second show at The Mission Theatre, after the company's successful and acclaimed production of Not About Heroes last July. Philip Horton, reviewing for the Bath Chronicle, said of last night's show:
At one point in this brilliant play by Stuart Crowther, Gummibear describes his flatmate Highrise as “The bastard child of Pete Docherty and Lucrezia Borgia.” This might give you a clue about the premise which could similarly be described as, “The very erudite bastard child of The Young Ones and Men Behaving Badly.” Faded rock star Highrise is trying to get back into the limelight by taking a rent boy, Prettyboy, home and alerting the press. Meanwhile, Gummibear endeavours to get his imaginary gerbil, Michelle Obama, to reproduce. Now you have a clue about the action, but what you won't understand, without visiting The Mission, is the sparkling stream of dialogue.
When told to write a book about his life, Highrise exclaims “You can't write a book about growing up well adjusted.” But perhaps my favourite line of the evening was, “Betrayal, thy name is cider.”
Matthew Bromwich demands attention as he cavorts and exhorts, while Duncan Riches plays the Zen eccentric Gummibear convincingly. Dressed only in a pair of Michelangelo’s David boxer shorts, Matt Harwood has the body and acting ability to be the grit in this particular dialogue driven evening. Not to be missed if you enjoy words, wit and theatre.
Jet Li runs until tomorrow and there are still some tickets left for the final two performances. Get them now from the Bath Box Office 01225 463362 or get them on the door from 6.45pm each night.
There is strong language in this production.
There's even more fantastic Fringe Festival shows to come in the next few days at The Mission Theatre:
Don't miss Bath University Student Theatre with Tartuffe (pictured above left) - Friday 9th 2pm & Saturday 10th 7.30pm - and Phantom (pictured above right) - Friday 9th 7.30pm & Saturday 10th 2pm). Two very different shows, but both have been produced by the talented members of BUST. Tickets are £8 (£5 concs) from The Edge Box Office 01225 386777 or on the door 45 minutes before each performances. Bath College students will also be performing on Saturday 10th at 11am with a poignant devised piece called A Suitcase Full of Memories. Tickets on the door from 10.15am.