Reay play delivers laughs
“NI SHUO shénme (what did she say)?” is the term you will quickly learn as you try to decode what is happening in this show.
Hilariously funny and unashamedly unique, British comedian Louise Reay’s unusual production will leave you with a belly ache from laughter as you delve into a world where communication is key.
It’s Only Birds is punted as only having 7% verbal communication (at least that is the part you will be able to understand).
Reay, who is fluent in Chinese, uses everyday objects to communicate with her audience.
The first thing you will hear as the performance starts is an interesting rendition of the age-old nursery rhyme Old MacDonald Had a Farm, but in Mandarin – and from there you enter a world of stereotypical Chinese haggling while Reay tries to sell you items you do not actually need, all the while encouraging the audience to re-enact the music from Italian composer Giacomo Puccini’s Madame Butterfly.
Cleverly put together, although admittedly mostly improvised, Reay’s antics get the audience so involved that they actually become part of the show.
Understanding the show and what it aims to do is easy – from the start Reay uses visual cues to tell you what is happening – or does she?
Her act leaves you wondering how on earth people from different cultures communicate while realising that with the right methods of communication, anything is possible.
IT’S ONLY BIRDS by LOUISE REAY, at The Hangar Wednesday to Friday. HAVING only ever seen Conrad Koch on television, this was my first exposure to the guy often mistakenly called Chester – apparently even ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe calls him Chester when he sees him.
And, of great significance, Mantashe laughs every time he sees him although the duo of Conrad and political analyst puppet Chester rip into his party at pretty much every turn.
Following Koch on Twitter or watching him on TV is one thing, but seeing him perform live just a few metres in front of you is another.
He’s in your face, literally and figuratively, with far more profanity and insults to liven things up.
Koch kicked off with a rather naughty spot of hand-puppetry, extremely funny, before bringing on his prize puppet: Chester Missing.
But Koch is a whole lot more than a “puppet guy”.
He’s also a brilliant scriptwriter, as you will know if you follow him (or Chester who, ouch, has more followers than he does) on Twitter.
I loved how he uses this show to explain what ventriloquism is, because it’s clear many don’t really get what an art form it is.
The double international Emmynominated comedian and award-winning ventriloquist showed how convincing even a puppet made from two ostrich feather dusters and an old slipper can be.
But then, Koch is a professional right down to his toes, as shown by the glitteringly hilarious DJ Hoodie character.
He also stepped into live puppetry and made a palooka out of a couple of audience members – always a winning recipe, and perhaps even the funniest part of the show.
● PUPPET GUY with Conrad Koch, St Andrew’s Hall, two shows on Friday and Saturday.