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Atomic Saloon Show

 
Matthew Sedman Review by Matthew Sedman 4 Published: 5 Aug 2019 Assembly George Square Gardens Show Dates: 1 Aug 2019-25 Aug 2019

Welcome to the Atomic Saloon: a place where the beer is flowing and anything goes, so long as you can afford it…

It seems the Atomic Saloon lives up to its mischievous reputation

Madam Boozy Skunkton is our host for the evening – the straight-talking, discipline-loving and knee-slapping proprietor of the establishment. What she lacks in decorum she more than makes up for in charisma; taking the audience under her wing and setting the tone for the evening. She is faithfully aided by singing cowboy extraordinaire Blue, whose foul-mouthed introductory remarks has the crowd in stitches and whose cowhide chaps leave little to the imagination.

Throughout the course of the evening we are introduced to a motley crew of miscreants – from Boozy’s Irish cousins to the local Mayor (who, for some reason, manages to lose his clothes in a mysterious accident). It seems the Atomic Saloon lives up to its mischevious reputation, with thongs disappearing into clouds of confetti and more sins than the Preacher can handle.

It is a high-budget production and certainly makes for an entertaining evening, although beyond this it can be difficult to find much consistency within the show itself. Whilst certain acrobatic moments stand out, cracks soon appear behind the façade of the Wild West – although it is a minimal detail amongst the aerial artistry and holy ping pong balls.

Certainly a number of the punchlines involved are outdated, scraping for cheap laughs in the uncomfortable sexualisation of same-sex audience interaction. Equally, the audience interaction itself relies predominantly on the discomfort of those selected – particularly during a scene in which unsuspecting individuals are forced to engage in a spaghetti-fuelled four-way kiss. It is an unnecessary side-track and one which undermines the genuine talent of the performers.

That said, Atomic Saloon Show stands as an impressive benchmark of exactly what Fringe theatre is capable of.

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The Blurb:

The wildest watering hole in town. Madam Boozy Skunkton has been collecting the prettiest, sexiest, dumbest, drunkest troupe of entertainers and acrobats on earth, and is determined to create the greatest saloon show the world has ever known. Moulin Rouge meets Blazing Saddles, and America's Got Talent meets Westworld. From the creators of the hit Las Vegas show Absinthe. Featuring some of the best names in variety and physical comedy, this world premiere is a must-see before it heads to its permanent home on the Las Vegas Strip. Directed by Cal McCrystal (One Man, Two Guvnors).