Imagine a blockbuster movie: now imagine that movie where all the characters are played by an unassuming yellow sponge. Yes, you heard me right. This see-it-to-believe-it production has mastered the art of turning the ordinary into the truly extraordinary, and it is an absolute treat to watch.
Classic film tropes are lovingly lampooned in this action-romance-drama-sci-fi
Both Tim Watts and Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd work in perfect tandem as deft puppeteers; within minutes you will forget they are even present onstage. Using no more than the aforementioned sponge, a pair of eyes and two white gloves, the two performers build the world in which our tactile hero Bruce can live. There’s more to this puppet than meets the eye – with moving pupils and other exciting additions, Bruce can transform into love interest Debbie or arch-nemesis Joe in the flick of a wrist.
Whilst the joy of watching dialogue whizz back and forth between these characters is enough on its own, the action sequences are where the sheer ingenuity of this team truly comes into play. Windows are jumped out of, road races are won and a rocket is launched into outer space, all within a tight circle of light on centre stage. Classic film tropes are lovingly lampooned in this action-romance-drama-sci-fi, with the use of atmospheric audio to complement a laugh-out-loud script that rattles through every Hollywood cliché at breakneck speed.
With a plot that works backwards like a cross between Pinter and Back To The Future, Bruce will tickle your funny bone and warm your heart at the same time. I didn’t think I’d find myself attaching such emotional pathos to an inanimate object, but then stranger things have happened at the Festival Fringe. If you get a chance, go and see this production: it’s a deeply silly and extremely clever adventure that you can’t afford to miss.
