Trumpageddon ★★★★★
Venue 14: Gilded Balloon Teviot
Aug 6-7, 9-14, 16-21, 23-27. 4 pm
Our last big trip to Edinburgh Fringe was 2016 and one of the stand out shows was Trumpageddon. Back then Trump was simply a candidate. He was a man that could be laughed at as he made a bid to become the President of the USA. Events later in 2016 changed that and we all know what happened next as the reality TV businessman and major user of Twitter took up residence in the White House.
This is a totally different show to 2016. A lot has happened since then. Not only was Trump elected but the Twitter feed has become daily international news. On TV we’ve also had The Handmaids Tale discussing a possible future for the States. Simon Jay has rewritten the show and added an assistant, Ofdonald, dressed as a Handmaid.
Photo: Carliol Photography
The show has been successfully scaled up. A much bigger room has resulted in a much larger audience than 2016. The show is still attracting a vocal north American section to each audience. There is still a question and answer element, though now Ofdonald collects and writes down the questions from the queue outside and then brings a microphone so you can ask Trump yourself.
This show constantly breaks the fourth wall. Audience participation, through clapping, cheering, booing, questioning, cheerleading and occasionally insulting Trump happens at regular interval.
Photo: Carliol Photography
This Trump is not as nasty as the real thing. The trouble with the source material is that real life is producing unthinkably surreal moments so sticking with real events produces the craziest material. The thin line between fiction and reality is blurred. The line between theatre and stand-up is equally blurred. Questioning is broken up with theatrical moments which reflect the bizarre nature of Trumps’ behaviour. The use of a rear projection and sound design supports the madness on stage. This results in a show that is both very funny and equally shocking in equal measure. This show has matured and is even better than the original.
Is satire dead? Not yet, it isn’t!
Review by Stephen Oliver
Tickets:
Tickets are available from the usual Edinburgh fringe outlets and online from https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/trumpageddon.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.