With the arrival of comedy’s biggest names pioneering their ‘work-in-progress’ shows, young and new talent can easily be swept under the rug. But (Dis)honest reminds us what the whole point of Fringe is: giving new performers a real chance to entertain audiences from all over the world.
(Dis)honest is funny, relatable, and charming. On a simple set, the performers make great use of sound and lighting to add drama to the true story of con-artist Amy Bock, retelling her tales in a way that can only be described as entertaining.
An interesting concept, this show takes place in the form of a podcast that we, the audience, are listening to, as are the people on stage, each performing relatively mundane tasks in realistic scenarios (working in an office, at the gym, doing the house work…) as they listen. Alongside this, the snippets of recreations of the story they’re telling keep this performance moving and fun.
With podcasts all the rage these days, the show pokes fun at celebrity guests and rude reviews, whilst continuing to keep the heart of the show alive: what happens when you stop pretending?
Questions of identity and honesty are the main focus of this comedy drama, as is the idea of morality and what it means to be a woman committing crime. And this show leaves the audience with more questions than answers.
This performance felt like a warm hug to all the young girls who find it soothing to watch a true crime docuseries before bed (something I’ve certainly been guilty of). With musical reenactments of advertisements peppered throughout, it poked fun at our ability to listen to serious topics in less-than-serious circumstances.
(Dis)honest is a shining example of how valuable youth theatre is to the Fringe, and these performers have shown immense promise. I look forward to seeing what else they can achieve next year.
For those calling for more funding in the arts industry, put your money where your mouth is and go support young performers this fringe.
(Dis)honest can be found at theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall – Theatre 2 until August 10th.
Buy tickets here.
Images Provided to The Student by theSpaceUK for press use