Of the 39 shows I saw in three and a half days this Fringe, the biggest gamble and least familiarity was
The crowd erupted into uproarious applause at the merest glimpse of purple in this cult gem
The show kicks off with a high production musical number, seeing the titular Mr Feltface take on the guise of various stages in the evolutionary process. By the time the song ends and our star appears on his platform, he already holds the audience in the palm of his paw.
The next hour sees Randy taking us on a meandering journey through what it's like to be the only creature of his species, with many a random pitstop along the way into his hilarious and unique take on numerous aspects of society.
In Randy, you are getting a comedian of the highest order, mastering a wide variety of comical techniques, from cheesy puns to engrossing rant-and-raves, and highbrow societal commentaries. Not only is the writing top notch, but the personality injected into the star through the pinpoint perfect inflection of operator Heath McIvor makes Randy one of the boldest and most refined comedy characters in live entertainment.
Of course, with all puppetry, the true measure of success lies in the puppeteering, and this is where Feltface truly stands out. The sheer depth and range of the physicality achieved through merely one moving arm and opposable jaw simply can't be justified in prose. Were Randy a human, his physical comedy would likely be compared to greats such as Lee Evans and Jim Carrey. He can go from intense calm to manic explosion at any given moment, conveying every nuance of the most gifted storyteller. Nowhere is this more evident than in his graphic reenactment of a modern action film scene in the second half of the show.
Randy Feltface: Alien of Extraordinary Ability is an ambitious extravaganza that utterly triumphs in every aspect. The rapport McIvor builds with an audience he can't even see is remarkable, with fourth wall breaks and ad libs to rival the greatest of comedians (his response to finding out someone flipped him off while leaving early was priceless). I've not stopped talking about it since and have been urging everyone (you included) to go see it.
