| “Elated, Tearful, Smiling, A Transcendental Experience” |
Wales at Edinburgh Fringe in the 2020s |
| Jo Fong & George Orange- The Rest of Our Lives , Summerhall- Old Lab, Edinburgh , September 5, 2022 |
Jo Fong and George Orange were beneficiaries of Wales Arts International, being one of three performances selected for the official showcase. The effect they had on reviewers and audience commentators was considerable and consistent. From UK Theatre Web: “What a glorious way to start the day. Every moment starts the rest of your life, how long will it last and what will happen? How about exploring that through the medium of middle-aged interprative dance? Sounds naff? Well, believe me, it isn't - it is huge fun, full of laughs and also very poignant as well as a demonstration of real skill. This amazing couple take us through scenes and ideals with enthusiasm, energy and a few rests to gather their breathe! A fabulous soundtrack, excellent audience involvement (a song, a dance, some ping pong) and a quiz (yep, I won!) ... genuinely started my day on a real high. Thank you. From Broadway Baby: “We are united by the simple joys of staying in motion. Orange and Fong, only in their 50s and with background and ongoing careers in circus, dance, and cabaret, are facing a turning point in their lives, where they can no longer perform the way they used to. Anyone who has spent time in the Underbelly Circus Hub or at any of the other physical theatre, dance, and circus performances around the Fringe, can attest that that those standards feel superhuman to most of us, but nevertheless, they are experiencing a loss. What they haven’t lost, though, is the spark that magnetizes an excellent performer. “Orange’s barrel chest and Fong’s wiry muscles betray their remaining physical power, and the show is full of impressive moments. In between sequences of dance and partner acrobatics, however, they don’t shy away from their heavy breathing. They make extensive use of music, classic and contemporary, and a ticker-tape LED display to stitch sequences together. The Rest of Our Lives, like the rest of our lives, is not particularly cohesive. It loosely centers around the question of simply ‘How do we go on?’ playing back and forth between friends. Seeing Dance was more cautious: . ““The show is centred around questions and observations. Will I be alone? Will I be remembered? Will it hurt? Am I bothered? Amongst other things, they wrestle with a pair of chairs, Orange then squeezing every ounce of comedy out of squeezing his body through the metal frame of a chair in an act of determination but also one filled with pathos. “The show’s undoubted highlight is a ridiculous mass ping pong game involving the front three rows, all armed with bats. A blizzard of what must be close to 100 balls ensued as they flew everywhere. It was as totally crazy as it sounds. There’s more audience participation at the end when everyone is invited on stage to boogieing away together. It felt wonderfully hopeful, even if, like me you preferred to sit and watch.” From the Guardian: “Bounding into the fringe’s 10.15am slot, Jo Fong brings euphoria...Fong is a dancer who performed with the likes of Rosas and DV8 in her youth, and is here partnered with clown and circus director George Orange. “...There’s a choice soundtrack, from Booker T and the MGs to Leonard Cohen, and they let the music do a lot of the work: the simple act of Orange passing his body through the frame of a chair is given pathos by a Purcell aria; the genius moment when Rage Against the Machine plays and, at the “F*** you, I won’t do what you tell me” chorus, they silently eye each audience member in turn, in amused defiance. “Through choice looks, wry asides and hoiking about sometimes ungainly bodies, Fong and Orange masterfully flick the mood from absurd to tender to life-affirming, and when they throw in some joyful audience participation it’s impossible not to be on board with them. If middle age and beyond can be this – play, invention, moving our bodies, connecting with other people and larking about with friends – then Fong and Orange have found a blueprint for happily living the rest of our lives. Audience commentary: “ WTF! 60 shows in to our Fringe this year and we only just found this gem?! We left the show feeling elated, tearful, smiling. A transcendental experience while laughing. What magic do these people weave? Thanks you so much for bringing this to Edinburgh so we could experience it! “How is that I walked out of this show feeling SO GOOD with so many tears running down my face? I can’t explain it, it’s simple and complicated all at once, and it made me feel more than any other show I’ve seen at the Fringe so far. First one I’ve felt compelled to review here—go see it! “Don't walk, run to get a ticket. Joyful blend of dance, clown, physical theatre and love in all its glory. Quite the warmest pleasure cloud to float on for rest of the day. One of best things I've been to at the Fringe in years. “I loved this show. Not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't this. Moving, joyful, inspiring. “A joyful start to the fringe day which I found unexpectedly moving. Loved the chemistry between the two and appreciated seeing some slightly older bodies moving with such gay abandon. I won't spoil the end, but go with it and embrace it! Reviews quoted, with thanks: https://www.uktw.co.uk/news/The-Rest-of-Our-Lives/5861.html https://broadwaybaby.com/shows/the-rest-of-our-lives/786524?fbclid=IwAR1mMy_h2jkkdm-MHh68F6DUzoWNKhGN0Pm4C08LG3L https://www.seeingdance.com/rest-of-our-lives-receptionists-220823/ https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/aug/21/the-rest-of-our-lives-review-summerhall-edinburgh Audience feedback: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on#q=THE%20REST |
Reviewed by: Adam Somerset |
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