[Breast in Show]
A Show and Tell from hell, a Mr. Rogers Neighbourhood if the neighbourhood was a porn set and Mr. Rogers was played by the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. A Barney & Friends if Barney had no friends…
In reviewing this show I feel like a carnival barker promoting the geek in the freak show. In a good way, mind.
Conceived and performed by Daryl Wrightson and Kylie Milne, this is a pitch black send up of TV kid shows like Playschool and The Reading Rainbow, with our hosts Loose and Dick taking the audience on a deranged journey through the trailer park of their lives — drug abuse, welfare abuse, and fashion abuse (our heroes sport a frightening line of colourful jumpers). It’s like they saw an episode of Colin Baker’s Dr. Who and made their lifestyle choices off that. Their wardrobe is gloriously hideous. Not that they keep them on the whole time.
Aside from our heroes, we get a rogues gallery of supporting characters, ranging from the alliteratively inclined soft-toys Lisa the Lesbian and the oddly tragic Humpme Dumpme, a one-legged satyrist/egg. This show really has something for everybody. If all these stuffed animals aren’t your thing, don’t worry. There are also boobs and other jiggling fleshy things in it, so all you weirdos in the raincoat brigade don’t have to give it a miss.
Like a freight train going through a kindergarten, this show zips from one inappropriate set piece to the next. A popular entry from last year’s Auckland Fringe, the cast’s well-honed performances make sure the pace never lets up.
All to the good. Most shows in the ‘Batshit’ genre (also known as the ‘Sorry I brought my mum’ genre) tend to start strong and loose steam. This one never lets up, rapidly increasing momentum as it plummets away from the calcified pedestal known as ‘Good Taste’.
Ultimately, your mileage may vary, but if you’ve made it this far through the review, you must be the target market. This is a show for adults — adults with the sensibilities of moronic 13 year olds, but adults nevertheless. This reviewer certainly falls into that hallowed company. I laughed a lot, screamed more and hid my face whenever they asked for volunteers. It is a really good time.
If you would like a chance to smell Kylie Milne’s finger and see Daryl Wrightson’s boobs, they will be on show in Wellington at Bats Theatre from the 3rd to the 5th March, and then in Dunedin at the Fortune Theatre Studio from the 10th to the 12th March.
The Loose Dick Kiddies Show is presented by KD’s Performing Arts and played at Q Loft 12-13 Feb.
SEE ALSO: Theatreview.org.nz review by Jan Maree
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