Presented by Rhymes with Purple
Reviewed 16 February 2018
This show is hard to describe, part history lesson, part blended music and part comedy. The two players, who we are assured are not Earnest and Wilde combine their talents to tell us about the assassination of Arch Duke Ferdinand of Austria whose death triggered the start of the First World War. They introduced us to the major players and whilst I am sure that many of the facts presented were accurate, I am equally sure that other introduced ideas were not.
Much of the music, played by the male member of the duo, was much more modern, although not current. His playing adapts well to the different styles and he plays well. The words well sung by the female were not original lyrics but reflected the story being told. At times the words were difficult to understand due to the accent adopted by the character. The visual presentation of photos of the main protagonists aided the understanding of the story and gave authenticity to the tale.
This is a very unusual subject for a cabaret being neither one thing nor the other, but it is Fringe. I’m not sure if it really works, but I can say it was entertaining if a little weird.
Reviewed by Fran Edwards
Twitter: @franeds
Rating out of 5: 3
Venue: La Boheme
Season: 16 Feb- 1 Mar
Duration: 60 mins
Tickets: $25
Bookings: https://www.adelaidefringe.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/earnestandwilde
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