One of the joys of the Edinburgh Fringe is when you accidentally stumble on a hidden gem and on a very wet Sunday night we ventured into the George Hotel and nearly joined the Fawlty Towers Dining Experience in the Foyer . However down an unmarked staircase we found the Princess Room and met the Dots rushing around to prepare for the show.
The Dots are a sophisticated singing trio, elegantly dressed, stylishly choreographed and word perfect. At least they were until the soprano stormed out and the mezzo died. The remaining Dot Helen played by Helen Colby decides to carry on with underrehearsed understudies, Macey Cherett who wants to incorporate magic and Nerine Skinner an enthusiastic amateur. The joy of this show is that they each totally inhabit these comic creations.
Everything that could go wrong does. Costumes that don't fit, choreography learned in a mirror, lip sync that's not quite there and then a power failure all combine to create a frenetic, chaotic hour of hilarious Cabaret. Even the venue is not quite right with its low ceiling limiting their movement.
What's more it is fully interactive and the audience is immersed in the show whether vouching for a singer, playing the Phantom of the Opera or helping with the special effects for the climatic finale. It easy to join in and the atmosphere is lively and fun.
Of course these parodies rely on the artistes actually being able to sing and they can. Whether as Aretha Franklin or Judy Garland, although not necessarily in that order, or the Proclaimers or the Beverley Sisters they manage to keep the chaos rolling while still hitting the right notes when they need to.
This was a lovely discovery, fun, entertaining and very funny, a show that might have gone on longer. I was only just getting into it when they made me turn the leaf blower off, you have to go and see it to find out why!
Review by Nick Wayne
Rating: ★★★★★
