PERFORMANCE & COMEDY

Tobacco Factory, Bristol (Tue 25-Sat 29 Oct)

VARIETY Slightly Fat Features return to the Tobacco Factory with this (largely) new show, bursting with old-style variety acts endowed with a contemporary twist. Performing to a packed house, the company pull any and every variety act you can expect out of their sleeves, from the simplest (oversized origami or slap-dance) to the most wondrous (gravity-defying juggling) and, of course, the silliest (Elvis musing on the perils of bad diet).

Goronwy Thom is a genial, witty and altogether mesmerising Master of Ceremonies, his presence on the stage ensuring the seamless melting of one act into the other; he handles even that potential pitfall, audience-member participation (of which there is a fair amount), with a cordially confident manner that makes it genuinely fun for everyone involved.

Indeed, the show will make you laugh out loud throughout, despite the occasional lull moments (a couple of the songs felt somewhat out of place), and each member of the troupe brings his own personal touch. From Gareth Jones’s suave, swashbuckling characters to Jon Hicks’s grumpy persona, from Richard Garaghty’s endearingly preposterous tiger-tamer to Robert Lee’s holographic band and Matt Barnard’s moustachioed silent-movie villain, each member adds his own bright-coloured confetti to this lovely celebration. Special mention, too, is due to guest performer Rod Laver and his astonishing talent with ping-pong balls.

The most impressive aspect of the performance, though, is the range of acts involved and the loving hat-tip to so many facets of music-hall entertainment. It is simultaneously refreshing and reassuring to see a contemporary comedy troupe embrace old-style variety with such appetite and aplomb; the move towards burlesque revival would certainly not be complete without the work of troupes like Slightly Fat Features. At the same time, the troupe’s jolly self-mockery and repeated cries of ‘You will spoil the il-lu-sion!’ (when maintaining the illusion is clearly not an objective) effectively conveys their utter lack of self-importance. This in turn imbues the evening with an open-hearted, carnivalesque atmosphere, making 'Variety...' accessible and thoroughly enjoyable for all ages. (Regina Papachlimitzou)

Copyright Regina Papachlimitzou 2011