THE STEPPE BROTHERS - touring

THE STEPPE BROTHERS: Tim Hibberd
Rejects Revenge at mac - Touring till 13 April
Detail of tour and shows www.rejectsrevenge.com
Review Rod Dungate; mac, Birmingham, 24 February 2006
Runs: 1h 30m, No interval

Inspired lunacy
The Steppe Brothers is best described perhaps as a farcical romp created from random free-floating fragments of psycho-analysis. Without wishing to tie the piece down by any straightjacket of logic or order, I think I may say it concerns the steps taken by the mythical Steppe Brothers who come from the Steppes to assert their reality as step-brothers and ascend their rightful throne while establishing the Power of Theatre. Something like that anyway.

These completely bonkers performers (they may be quite sane off stage – though I have my doubts) challenge us not to like them. The truth is that at the end of the show you seriously want to hug them. How do they achieve this? – Well, through hats and moustaches mostly. And quick changes – this is Couture Theatre as it has never been seen before.

The company invent wildly – drawing with child-like glee on a mass of contemporary references. And as the story spins faster, so their invention becomes cheekier, more outrageous, and, of course, funnier. The trio of performers leap, clown, mug, joke and fool their way through their narrative with infectious delight.

On a very cold night this totally engaging group succeeded in warming me up.

Cast
Sarah Goddard
Liam Tobin
James Wooldridge

Company
Director: Ezra Hjalmarsson
Producer/ Assistant Director: Ann Farrar
Mucial Director/ Composer: Andy Frizell
Designer: Michael Breakey
Lighting Designer/ Technical Manager: Mike Wight

2006-02-28 15:57:58