David Reed's solo debut has the perfect balance of light and shade, says Emma McAlpine.
This year, David Reed and his fellow Penny Dreadfuls are flying solo at the Fringe and it's turned out to be a successful gambit for all. Both Humphrey Ker and Thom Tuck seem to be recommended everywhere I turn and having caught Reed's character-based show, I can now testify to his talents as well.
"A shambolic mess of hoarded memories and lost lives", Shamblehouse sees Reed doing what he does best, playing intriguing and intricately-drawn characters from Steve, a schoolboy with a lisp and a viking obsession, to the irritatingly cocky South African pilot Tristan Boon ("I wear my sunglasses inside and take them off when I'm outside - isn't that adorable?!"). A mysterious Spanish narrator acts as the glue holding the monologues together and a theatrical set of cluttered antiques serves as the perfect backdrop to this ragtag collection of souls.
A gifted actor, Reed has a knack for accents and comical facial expressions, inhabiting his creations so convincingly that the audience is completely invested in their stories. Steve is perhaps the most endearing, with his eager face and self-penned play about space vikings, he ekes out plenty of "awws" from the crowd, not least when we find out his worst fear is that his mother might die "again".
This is not however, a show short on laughs. Just when a character's tragedy has peaked, an amusingly surreal moment will take its place: like a clever pre-recorded three-way conversation between Reed and Reed doing impressions of famous actors and a dramatic scene with an acrobatic doughnut called Milo. The finale sees 'the world's worst ghost' reunited with his lost falcon in a gloriously silly dance complete with a stuffed bird reminiscent of Kes from Bo Selecta!
Finding just the right balance of comedy and pathos, this is a very strong solo debut for Reed. Let's just hope this doesn't spell the end of the Penny Dreadfuls...
David Reed: Shamblehouse is at the Pleasance Courtyard at 8:30pm until the 28th August.
Add an event
Mac DeMarco, East End Live and Bleached: Editor's Choice - Live Music.jpg)
Tuesday 21st MayMac DeMarco @ The Garage Mac DeMarco // "My Kind of Woman" by capturedtrac...