Love in all its various forms can inspire different things in us. It can open doors to areas of ourselves we didn't know could be achieved before, but it can also challenge us in ways that can end up in the most negative way possible. It is the latter that inspires Fool's Paradise from rising Australian clown and storyteller Britt Plummer. She playfully and comedically explores love during her time on the fringe circuits when she meets a Swedish man called Otto, who rocks her world in more ways than one; especially being a performer himself. Plummer delves into how that love develops on the lead up to and during lockdown, eventually turning into an interesting ride when marriage is on the cards. Is it purely a marriage of convenience, or is all the hassle of getting that green card worth the wait?
A show that is fun, exploratory and empowering
Plummer despite some sound issues with the music at the beginning being too loud occasionally and her head microphone at one point going into loud feedback screeches, presents a charming comedy which encourages us to want her to succeed in love. Her style of writing is reminiscent of romantic comedies such as Love Actually and Down with Love, yet at the centre of it all, she creates an experience that is a natural journey of the heart. It tugs at the heart strings, as well as creates moments that sneak in comedically catching you unawares. The only thing I will say is that there needs to be more clowning moments scattered throughout the show rather than just have the big clowning section at the end to emphasise the comedy more. What she does is more subtle that we expect and whilst it the majority of the time works depending on the context (such as creating Otto using a mop, clothes on a hanger and a good use of hand puppetry to show him trying to pour Prosecco into a glass and serving a meal), occasionally the silences feel longer than they need to be. As slick as it already is, tighten it a little more and the show will be heightened even more.
The show itself is full of lighthearted playfulness and vulnerability as we would expect of a clown. Add the journey of love and a wedding into the mix, we then see elements of a Pierrot mime artist as her physicality becomes more in tune with the complexity of the emotions on show. Plummer has a light and friendly way of interacting with the audience, encouraging them to get involved with confetti in the shape of bananas and writing notes of support to help the legal paperwork. She also challenges us to explore love in a safe way that encourages her to grow as her character develops in the story, giving us Fools Paradise. A show that is fun, exploratory and empowering. One to definitely look at and enjoy.
