With a folk version of Shakira’s ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ playing in the background, and a framed portrait of an aristocratic-looking Graham Norton as part of the set design, one infers that this may easily be one of the campest theatre productions they’ll see in this year’s Fringe.
Set in 1605, Remember, Remember! portrays the “true story of the Gunpowder Plot” through the hilarious retelling by three Stuarts (and Alan) [Kluane Saunders, Lucy Buncombe, Ross Tomlinson, and Tom O’Kelly], featuring an overhead voice narration by Stephen Fry. Following our protagonist Robert Catesby, who should really be the historically famous figure in place of Guy Fawkes, the musical comedy holds enough barrels of laughter to blow up the Houses of Parliament!
The whole room shared the same exact trouble that I had: not being able to stop smiling and
bursting with laughter throughout the entire show.
They remind their audience not to “believe what they told you in Year 9”, as the real tale is as follows (slight spoilers ahead): Catesby loses power of his masterplan and his “Rob-olutionaries” due to the appearance of the charming Guy Fawkes, Catesby then falls in love with mortal enemy #1 “twinky” King James I in the spying process, and to top it all off, the King’s wife, Anne (“double D”) of Denmark, knew of the plot the whole time.
The comical show felt entirely riveting — it was joyfully difficult to tell what the writing had in store for you next.
The stage numbers were fabulous and felt highly professional (despite their silliness), and I know that Queen Anne’s vigorous “Double D” song will stay stuck in my head for a while . Songs were delivered energetically through the cast’s strong live vocals – all in all accompanied by the team’s musical director Isabella Guilar playing the piano in the background.
Not only did the musical melodies feel professional, but the use of lighting was completely on point too, as the team (directed by Alex Pritchett) managed to capture every energy perfectly.
The show succeded at being as camp as can be, and how can anyone complain
about that?
Remember, Remember! is running until 30th August at Queen Dome at Pleasance Dome. Buy tickets here.
Photo Via Kit McCarthy.
