| “Funny, Naughty, Boisterous”: Luke Hereford at Edinburgh Fringe |
Polly and Esther |
| Polly Amorous & Esther Parade, Sherman Theatre & Pleasance , Pleasance Courtyard: the Green , August 22, 2024 |
Luke Hereford had a hit in Cardiff and Edinburgh in 2022 with “Grandmother's Closet.” The description of “Polly and Esther” read: “A high-camp, chaotic drag cabaret written and performed by iconic Welsh mother and daughter drag-duo Polly Amorous and Esther Parade. Join Polly and Esther as they navigate chosen family, adolescence and villainous low-fat yogurt-based probiotic gut-health brands....A celebration of self-expression, a joyfully queer blend of drag, musical theatre and cabaret, and a tale of finding family in unlikely places.” * * * * From Theatre Weekly: “A cabaret show with drag queens singing pop songs may not be the most novel premise for a Fringe show, but then not every show features Polly Amorous and Esther Parade. Polly and Esther is a fun, camp affair and a touching tribute to found family and embracing queerness. “Inspired by the real-life friendship of the two performers, Polly plays a veteran drag queen who, through the power of magic, is granted a friend. They quickly see that there is something special when they work together, as does yoghurt-based probiotic company ‘Mulk’, who snap up Polly and Esther for their advertising campaign. Mulk’s rainbow capitalism and destructive business practices cause tension between the two performers, and Polly must make a choice between fame and friendship. “...The real star of the show is the rapport between Polly and Esther. Though both quite different people from different schools of drag, they perform fantastically together and manage to strike a tone that suits both of their sensibilities. The story of the show appears to be inspired by their different career trajectories, which gives some dramatic heft to an otherwise flamboyant and silly show. “Though it moves the plot along, the satirical element is a little too on the nose to be effective, but is satire really why you’re at a drag cabaret show? Polly and Esther delivers a funny, naughty, and boisterous good time with a surprising amount of heart.” * * * * Audience reactions read: “PURE JOY. So silly, so fun, and packed full of heart. I loved it.” “Very good, Polly was very talented and very beautiful and this is definitely not Polly. 10 stars.” “Uplifting and heartwarming jukebox musical and cabaret show. Polly and Esther’s show is raw, authentic, and deeply entertaining, and it doesn’t shy away from delivering important messages.” “Drama, music, weird plots and a lot of dancing and glitter. It keeps you entertained for the whole hour!” Extracts with thanks and acknowledgement from source: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/polly-esther |
Reviewed by: Adam Somerset |
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