No, this show is not about a Cher impersonator, nor is it an ABBA or Take That tribute band.
Direct address makes the performance engaging and the piece goes places you don’t expect.
This dark comedy looks at the tenuous relationship between Tess and Cheryl and their fathers, with whom they haven’t had a proper conversation for a long time. Looking at their father’s political opinions, morals and values, Tess and Cheryl explore the differences and similarities between themselves and their dads. They bring a huge amount of energy onto the stage and in spite of a small audience on the day I attended, they still managed to get us laughing and cheering at the right moments.
Unique and original in form, the piece is a sort of verbatim cabaret and uses cleverly designed projections and sound to make it seem as if Tess and Cheryl’s fathers are actually in the room. The way the girls talk to one another, to their dads and to the audience has a certain charm to it. Direct address makes the performance engaging and the piece goes places you don’t expect.
The opening of the show is very strange and seems to set up a very different theatre experience to what you actually get, but it is still clever and unique. Tribute Acts is a funny and endearing exploration of a not often talked-about subject. As someone who has had similar experiences with my father, I found it quite moving.
