Project Adorno is a double act after the philosopher Theodor Adorno. This name reflects their intellectual curiosity and their love of art that forms the bulk of the topics in the songs that they perform. In addition to performing original numbers they dig through their record collection and express the curiosity of music about cricket (one of the vinyl in their collection being ‘The Best of Test Match Special’) and their nerdy comic obsessions and other forgotten cultural relics of our society are dug out of their suitcase and displayed on stage. Their act rests on a spoof performance that embodies the oddest in society similar to the what Alan Partridge has done so well in mocking middle Englanders for their quirky obsessions and embarrassing behaviour.
The duo appear, dressed in suits and T-shirts, on a stage filled with props, including a guitar and a power point projector which they use to accompany their bizarre songs and goofy dancing. Their performance could be modern art, if its function is to test the boundaries of what is considered acceptable and ‘cool’ - a big middle finger up to all those concerned with how they fit in. Perhaps this is what is most interesting about them.
The highlight of the show comes as they close with a song about the National Trust. They talk about coming of age and how camping at Reading and Glastonbury has become a chore and, as they have become older, the national trust is what defines them now. It is humorous, imaginative, and manages to fuse Ian Dury and the Blockheads and Madness into their sound. Their quirkiness is fitting for the Fringe, however, they lack musicality which distracts from the lyrics which are often very funny.
