Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Guilded Balloon.
You’re young free & single and haven’t had sex for eleven months, then one day you wake up pregnant and the Archangel Gabriel is at the door claiming parentage. From an excellent masked chorus opening, this is a delight in using & abusing theatrical styles with a healthy religious scepticism. The key is the pace – don’t blink or you’ll miss a hilarious line. The laughs come thick, subtle but very, very fast. All the performances are strong, but Melanie Gray leads with incisive timing and delivery. Christopher Mellows revels in the incongruities of a modern day angel trying to justify god moving in mysterious ways. It’s a challenge to know where to look as the acting off-line is excellent. No time to wonder how they will reach a conclusion, but this talented cast guide you to a logical, ludicrous end. Be prepared to go back again to catch the gems you missed.
Derek Benfield
Guilded Balloon 12:15