Friday, December 13

Tag: Swamplesque

Swamplesque – Assembly Rooms
Scotland

Swamplesque – Assembly Rooms

The Assembly Rooms on December 5th hosted the return of Swamplesque, a show so gloriously unhinged that it had already obliterated box office records at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. If you think you’ve seen it all, imagine Shrek in nipple tassels and Donkey gyrating in velour, and then realise: you’ve barely scratched the surface. This ogre-themed burlesque and drag parody manages to toe the line between absurd brilliance and complete insanity. The show dives headfirst into the swamp of pop culture references, pulling out everything from Shrek is Love, Shrek is Life (a segment that will haunt me until I die) to a roller-skating Magic Mirror doing cartwheels to Man in the Mirror. Every number was laced with just enough chaos to keep the audience howling with laughter—or stunned into...
Swamplesque – Assembly Hall
Scotland

Swamplesque – Assembly Hall

Shrek themed burlesque sounds like the premise for a show which could either be very good or very bad. Thankfully, Australian cabaret troupe Trigger Happy Productions have the skills and confidence to make this show both entertaining and impressive. After a stern announcement reminding the audience that this is in no way connected with DreamWorks, the show starts with a bang. Trigger Happy imbues the role of Shrek with an infectious pizazz, whether he's high kicking in sequins or coyly peeping out from behind a feathered fan. This energy is more than matched by Tash York as Princess Fiona, who showcases a powerful voice in two solos. Drag king Rainbow takes on the role of Lord Farquaad, arriving on her knees for comic effect. She has a wonderfully expressive face, which adds to the ...