Clowning around, Finnish-style (remember they like naked saunas), includes a tiny bit of acrobatic bum exposure and a splash of front bottom gymnastics. So, if bottoms are off the table for you, give this one a miss.
However, I liked it. Not the bum cheeks (or the dangly bits) in particular. I liked the whole thing. There was certainly a lot of energy from the two performers, Timo Ruuskanen as Don Quixote and Tuukka Vasama as his side-kick Sancho Panza. Red Nose Company combines physical comedy, live music and witty gags. They create a warm welcome with their painted faces, red curtains and interactive banter. Their commitment to their audience and their story is clear to see.
The duo has been on tour since 2008. They perform in four languages: English, Swedish, Spanish and Finnish. In Finland, they were voted Theatre of the Year in 2023. Audience sensitivity means each show is a little different, with improvisation being key to its overall success.
The audience willingly volunteered to pelt rotten tomatoes and joyously participated, if shyly, in other ways. This kind of show demands multi-faceted skills. The performers must read the audience and create a safe space for participation.
Ruuskanen and Vasama got a well-deserved, joyous round of applause at the end.
Creating a sixty-minute show from a 1000-page novel published in 1605 is no mean feat and for that alone, they deserve praise.
Reviewer: Kathleen Mansfield
Reviewed: 12th August 2024
North West End UK Rating:
There are tribute bands, and then there are those which, for a couple of hours…
Dear Joanna, My Favourite Animals Are Scorpions is an unsettling exploration of childhood friendship, adolescent…
Tandem is a writing collective established and run by playwrights Jennifer Adam, Amy Hawes and…
There is something inherently difficult about making theatre about an event that is still unfolding,…
Short but perfectly formed, Balisong occasionally comes perilously close to feeling like a public-information film about the…
‘Making Art for Art’s sake.’ A quote repeated almost too many times to count and…