Fresh from its showings in London and Brighton, where it was nominated for Best Show at the Brighton Fringe Festival, this energetic and entertaining tale provides an hour of light relief awash with much sexual innuendo and dry-humping.Inspired by Chaucers Canterbury Tales, two lusty chickens find their marriage under threat when Chauntecleer lets his cock (pun entirely intended) lead him to Nell, the farmers wife, forcing Pertolette to take her revenge in a particularly painful way. Narrated in the style of a childrens fable, Dougie Blaxlands piece poses under the guise of a CBBCs morning television treat, yet this is most definitely not a tale to read at bedtime to children. Laced with every innuendo possible and a multitude of euphemisms, the two chickens discuss the lengths of his priestly pole and the awakening of a huge sexual appetite. But this is not simply a porn show in disguise. Blaxlands script is cleverly structured and worded, and the two actors do extremely well to keep the pace of the show at a breathtaking speed. The wonderfully talented Tim Dewberry and Abigail Unwin-Smith have over fifteen roles to cover in the piece, with no costume variations to assist the changes. This brave directorial decision could easily cause confusion, yet thankfully the two actors are so effective in their various characterisations and physicality that the clarity of the production remains consistently high. The two are captivating to watch, full of expression and comic timing, and could easily be actual presenters of childrens television; yet at the same time their cheeky grins fill the room with a mischievous energy that resonates throughout. They hold a great connection with the audience, eye-balling them throughout and enticing them in to the bawdy tale with ease; an element which is crucial to both the style of the piece and the intimacy of the venue. The direction by James Bounds is slick, energetic and bursting with rich visual jokes to accompany the writing. Despite only having two bales of straw to play with, the blocking is varied and interesting throughout; no mean feat with what could easily have turned into such a wordy static piece.Throughout the show every member of the audience sported wide grins and it is easy to see why. The writing, the direction and the performers all generate such an infectious sense of humour that there is no escaping. Even the loud pumping music emerging from the basesment and the incessent thumping on the ceiling from elsewhere in the venue could not distract the audience from the tale. Having recently watched several worthy offerings on the fringe, it was so refreshing to watch a show that offers pure unashamed fun. It wont suddenly change your life (although the moral at the end provides some thought!) but its well worth seeing when you need cheering up or a good old-fashioned laugh. Near the end a little trimming could be in order as the joke starts to wear a little thin, but this is a minor quibble in what proved to be a highly enjoyable production.
