REVIEWS
ADA CAMPE
CABARET
TOO LITTLE, TOO SOON lllll
Fringe regular Ada Campe returns wackier and as unpredictable as ever. Song, dance, magic and comedy are just the tip of the Campe iceberg; a walking whirlwind of glitter and bright colours, she never lets an audience know her next move. Draped in her signature drag-style make-up and wonderfully outrageous outfit (complete with sequined headpiece), this vivacious variety act lives up to her surname. Too Little, Too Soon is a reflection on the time Campe spent researching her family over the past two years. In this deeply personal cabaret/comedy, we’re given interesting (if slightly confusing) insight into the theatrical backgrounds of her fellow thespian family members. Her tales cover everything from amphibian-themed ballets to long-lost lesbian love, and despite almost losing the audience at times, Campe reels them back in with hypnotic storytelling, quick quips and just a touch of magic. Audience involvement is key to Campe’s charismatic performance which has the crowd grinning and giggling, both at the performer and each other. A bouncy and kooky show with a heap of heart, Ada Campe’s queer cabaret has a strong message of family at its core. (Rachel Cronin) n The Stand’s New Town Theatre, until 28 August, 2.55pm.
TOM BRACE
EMBRACE THE IMPOSSIBLE! lllll
Framed against a backdrop of his childhood bedroom, both the set and theme of Tom Brace’s magic show are based around a nicely nostalgic visit to the 1990s. With nods to Roald Dahl and Back To The Future, Brace showcases his deft close-up magic and memory tricks. Smartly executed, the man knows his stuff. Familiar spectacles are present (guess the playing card, sleight of hand, mysteriously reattaching ropes) making this a great introduction to magic. Hopefully there are plenty budding conjurors in the room each day as this teatime show is perfect family fodder. He even squeezes a few adult gags by the unknowing kids, just for the mums and dads. Fuzzily warm crowd interaction is, of course, order of the day but Brace makes a rather courageous move when he gets an audience member to phone his brother; there’s always scope for that kind of thing to go horribly wrong. A well-handled, lovely show. (Marissa Burgess) n Underbelly Bristo Square, until 29 August, 4.55pm.
BLUNDERLAND VARIETY
BLUNDERLAND lllll
John Waters would be proud of Blunderland, an Australian queer circus/cabaret act that revels in the raucous. With an astonishing bag of tricks and as few clothes as possible, this troupe of sexually charged clowns indulge in jaw-dropping acrobatics after ‘snorting’ a suspicious bag of white powder, discuss hallucinogenics in intricate detail and pull condoms from their nether regions with the grace of Rudolf Nureyev. ‘If you’re looking for a story, fuck off!’ says the riotously care-free host Eric Schmalenberger, getting to the crux of the show with typical delicacy. This is a context-free celebration of naughtiness that lets its freak flag fly. But much like a Waters production, there’s a very traditional commitment to craft underpinning the surface-level outrageousness and gross-out humour. Every performer in this variety show is awe-inspiringly talented, from prodigious skipping to inconceivably agile hula-hooping to nailbitingly intense ropework. Class As and clumsiness propel the gags, but the skills on show are undeniable. If there are any misgivings about this hour of entertainment, they’re minor to the point of nit-picking. A few of the more seriously presented performances feel at odds with the X-rated frivolity of the overall piece, and a few of Schmalenberger’s stand-up segments (while the stage is set for the next performance) err on the wrong side of time-filling. But nothing dampens the irrepressible mood created in Blunderland. It’s vivid, it’s sexy, it’s hilarious, and very well worth your time. (Kevin Fullerton) n Underbelly’s Circus Hub, until 27 August, 9.55pm.
48 THE LIST FESTIVAL | 10–16 August 2022 | list.co.uk/edinburgh-festival
