Reviews by Himmi Kari

The doctor (to be) will see you now... Emulating the doctors that they would soon become, the BSMS Medic Review, a troupe of multi-talented Brighton and Sussex Medical School students, started their comedy show ten minutes late. It was with the same relief that patients get when their name is called at a late-running GP’s surgery, that the show opened, suprisingly using a pre-filmed video clip instead of the more obvious all-singing, all-dancing routine that followed.This diversity of media continued throughout the whole programme with carefully crafted short films contrasting with the familiar live comedy skits and musical numbers. An excellent nine-piece band provided an injection of real-time energy to an already hyped cast and it was easy to see the company’s enjoyment of their own material. And this material was, at times, excellent.Ranging from clever reinterpretations of familiar medical scenarios e.g. what patients, doctors and medical students really think in a clinic situation to an astute musical reworking of Chicago’s Cell Block Tango to fit a hospital context, the BSMS Medic Review had worked hard to produce a top-class show. A particular highlight was BSMS Baby, a split-screen video of the entire cast singing a beautiful barbershop acapella original song. The company included some vocally strong members but as with most amateur productions, clarity of live sung lyrics and thus the audience’s understanding of the content, suffered in sound calibration.Understandably proud of their work and rehearsal, the BSMS Medic Review fell into that old trap of over-indulgence and at three hours running time, this is a long show. The audience, largely members of the medical school and hospital community, were sympathetic towards their own, however, the Medic Review is open to the public and should be mindful of that. Some internal jokes will undoubtedly fall flat and the material that works best is usually universally understandable. As any doctor would advise, the BSMS Medic Review would do well to trim the excess in order to keep the whole creation in tip-top shape. Overall the BSMS Medic Review is an energetic, clever and highly enjoyable show. Forget the four-hour wait in A&E and go and see this instead.

Like, I suspect, many other members of the audience, I found myself identifying with Better as described in the Fringe guide. To paraphrase, a lost 30-something-year-old chews the fat with her been-there-done-that 50-year-old female friend, both analysing whether the other woman actually has it 'better'. Whilst there may have been elements of that original idea, what actually happened was that after a brief shared introduction, Pauline Eyre and Rebecca How each had their own 15 minute stand-up routine documenting key elements of their lives and the pitfalls of their respective ages. This is not what I had been expecting.Eyre was the first to fill the spotlight, blasting the audience with frenetic stream of consciousness comedy. Careening from the menopause to to-do lists, Eyre’s content relied on a number of predictable jokes about the gender divide, particularly as applied to her husband, however, she was at her most engaging when detailing a specific instance of feminist victory on the tube. The audience could appreciate that this was a real incident and not just a trope, embellished for effect. Following this, How took to the stage opening her routine with an insistence on how (not) posh she was. This discussion about class and her derision of the North were not in keeping with the description of Better and, at this point, I had to accept that the two comics were essentially performing their own independent routines with some material wholly unrelated to the premise of the show. How then progressed to self-deprecating jokes and woe-is-me lines about how she could not be a feminist due to her desperation for a boyfriend. For someone who is as obviously bright, sharp and funny as How it seems a waste of her comedic talent to spend her time on stage doing herself down. There were many laughs in Better, yes, but it felt like the show had been misrepresented. It was a performance of two acts rather than two halves of a shared dialogue, which I feel is to its detriment. In my opinion a longer conversation between Eyre and How would make Better so much better.

It is a little disconcerting plunging into the darkness of a Big Top on a sunny afternoon, two hours after a Royal Wedding but, with a show which includes both drum majorettes and Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Circus Vegas seems to be continuing the Special Relationship.Featuring the usual medley of acts: clowns, acrobats and dancers, Circus Vegas tries to put its own stamp on the institution that is the American circus. The lights run to theme and under the blaze of red, white and blue this loud exhibition showcases other features of American culture. Cage riders fill the tent with exhaust fumes as they buzz like trapped flies against their metal zorb, whilst set changes are masked with sequin clad showgirls, their ostrich plumes the solitary nod to the titular Vegas. The performers are obviously aware of the timing of events and the choreographed transitions looked well-rehearsed, however, the energy of the company clearly suffered from the performance being a Saturday matinee. The great exception to this was the irrepressible clown, (thankfully less make-up clad than the terrors of Stephen King novels), who romped around the ring, pulling members of the audience out to act as the central entertainment for portions of the show. The high points of a circus performance are almost always the same and Circus Vegas proved no exception. The best moments were the feats of exceptional skill and derring-do that cannot be accomplished by mere mortals. The impossible tightrope walkers edging their way across the heights of the Big Top are the heart of the circus experience and were appropriately the pièce de résistance of this particular show. The morbid tension of will-they-won’t-they-fall voyeurism is what makes the audience gasp and feel as though they have received their money’s worth. Circus Vegas was never more transfixing than at these times. Circus Vegas would benefit from extending the slickness and vigour of their best acts to all other parts of the show. The sign of a great company is how they handle not just the ups but the inevitable downs and Circus Vegas showed its weak spots therein. If there had been a contingency plan in the form of backup routines to employ during equipment failure, as occurred during the cage riding episode, the whole show would be elevated and become a top class act.

It is a familiar setting: a small stage, a requisite black backdrop and a single chair. Over the next 45 minutes, however, this generic setting transforms into eight different global locations with the power of Sophia Walker’s theatre skills and absorbing tale.Russia, Uganda, Nicaragua: Sophia takes us on a veritable Lonely Planet Top Ten (or to be more precise, eight) tour of places she has lived thus far, starting with her tumultuous childhood, moving frequently with her father’s job, to the more familiar 'find yourself' journeys of young adulthood. It is a routine structure that is elevated by the gripping anecdotes related and more importantly, the spirit in which Sophia conveys them.Striding across the stage, Sophia enacts the scenes with the same absorbed look that children have when lost in imaginative play. Following her gaze into the middle-distance and back into her memories, you too are sucked in to feel the bumps in the road and the gun against your back. Predominantly humorous, the mood and content does dip into serious fare with Sophia revealing her fears, her traumas and her loves with the same fervour that she impersonates her mother. It is engrossing.With such a rich story, there is a lot trying to be said. In satisfying style each scene is concluded with a lesson learnt, which varies from social commentary on privacy to the motivations behind travel. It takes a while to realise that there is no overriding theme to these insights, rather that this is the life Sophia has lived and this is what she has learnt. Pick what you like, but there will definitely be something in there that resonates with you.For all her claims that she is “not normal,” the fact that so many of Sophia’s insights are relatable, speaks against that. The places she has visited may be extraordinary, the things she has experienced extreme, but the attempt to make sense of a convoluted past is universal. Her uprooted existence makes for rich creative fodder and Sophia has the talent to craft it into a captivating piece. Its success shows that her life couldn’t have had that many mistakes in it.

Featuring a Game of Thrones themed homoerotic adagio, a gyrating hula hooper and even a flash of full-frontal nudity, Circus’sission is the definition of a circus stripped. Within the black and red confines of the Bosco Theatre, a variety of stand-alone performers engage and amuse the audience with their particular circus skill, whilst the affable compère, Cal Harris, lubricates the act changes with Ozzie charm and some bodily fluids.From the off-the-cuff outset, Circus’sission exhibits relaxed, entertaining fare. This is how it must have been in the days of vaudeville, with acts as diverse as theatrical burlesque in the same programme as demonstrations on the cyr wheel. This variety billing extends to the whole run at Brighton Fringe as the acts change every night, which means tonight’s menu will offer a different pick of the day.Yesterday’s special was the very special indeed Reuben R Kaye, who stole the show from showrunners Head First Acrobats. Towering above the audience in a sparkling sequined jacket, “glittering giant” Kaye entranced with his acerbic wit and Liza Minnelli eyes. Each pointed joke hit the mark, making even the dreaded audience participation a thing of hilarity rather than the uncomfortable squirming experience that it usually is. From the ribald core of his routine, Kaye finished with a mellow ballad, which showcased his rich baritone in what was an unexpectedly soulful end to a fantastic performance. It is with some regret I perused the Fringe guide to find that his was a one-night only performance.This speaks to both the advantages and disadvantages of a rotating bill. Circus’sission has the skills to stand on its own merits, the performances by the original Head First Acrobatics are evidence of that, however, by inviting other artists there is a danger that one particular act will either eclipse or let down the rest of the program. In the performance I saw there was no disappointment, but the lack of a running theme or consistent quality of acts made for rather stochastic viewing. I never quite knew what I was going to get. Then again, that is both the joy and the frustration of a variety performance; it is the Forrest Gump “chocolate box” of the performing arts world.

Singing nuns, cheery chimney sweepers and a metamorphosing flower-seller, Julie Andrews’ roles are iconic and hold a distinct place in many British childhoods. The profound impact of these films and their clockwork Christmas replays is made clear in Lesley Emery’s one-woman performance of Being Julie Andrews. To snippets of My Favourite Things and other Andrews showtunes, Emery takes us through the ups and downs of a life lived to the sound of a very particular music.Like many other members of the audience, I was drawn to the show due to my own love of those technicolour musicals, which is why the initial sombre narration by Emery was unexpected. It was with some relief that Emery broke the fourth wall and started a more conversational account of her life, complete with family snapshots projected behind her and outbursts of song. With a few lines of Maria, we can immediately picture Emery’s youthful exuberance and identify a born performer, who was forced to squash her theatrical impulses into conventionality. Using props from the three cited musicals, Emery replays key moments in her life whilst maintaining a link back to her role model. For example, Fraulein Maria’s veil becomes a swaddled baby, whilst Mary Poppins’ umbrella transforms into a slow-dancing lover. As we get deeper into the performance, the references back to the titular character become subordinate to the events of Emery’s life. It is with some disorientation that a chirrup of I Have Confidence bursts from the speakers at a heavy point in the story, but although the song selection may at times seem spurious, the emotion of the scenes is undeniable. When suitably matched, the twinning of Julie Andrews’ roles to Emery’s life works exceptionally well. During its best moments the song fragments heighten not only the scene, but also prompt Pavlovian associations in the audience members and an unconscious mouthing of lyrics. However, in the end, it is Emery who is the main player. This is a story about Emery’s life, even if she tries to convince you that for most of it she was subliminally understudying Andrews. Her open confession about the grit and joy of her years is what really grips and leaves Julie Andrews in the shadows.