ED2012 2/5 Reviews ED2012 Theatre Reviews

Punch And Judy (Tea Break)

By | Published on Friday 31 August 2012

On the one hand, this show is a basically intelligent deconstruction of the nihilism and sadism implicit in a puppet show that’s too often considered benign but which actually has a darker colonialist core. And it is performed by a basically talented threesome, a little like a young version of the cast of ‘Only Fools And Horses’, with Punch played by a Rodney with anger problems, sociopathic tendencies and steroid-induced rages. Along the way there is a dash of satire, a dot of wit and some passable rhymes. But on the other hand, this is a strangely pitched piece, with childish humour that is utterly unsuited to children, and which lacks nuance or redemption for its critical take on a mostly buried tradition. After this show, long may it remain so.

Pleasance Courtyard, 1-27 Aug, 12.45pm.
tw rating 2/5 | [Thom May]



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