This year we’re delighted to welcome back our friends from the Bath-based vocal ensemble, Aquapella, to sing at our annual Birthday Bash. We review their Fringe Show below, but first here’s what else to expect at this year’s celebration, NOW WE ARE SIX!
Given the title of our event, with a focus on Storytelling, our ‘Jackanory Cabaret’ begins with a visit from The Creative Martyrs. Well-known to Edinburgh audiences, having performed on the PBH Free Fringe for many years, this dystopian duo has been involved with many former stalwarts of Edinburgh spoken word and storytelling scene, from Rally & Broad to Jo Caulfield’s Speakeasy. They've appeared on the wireless too!
Their act harks back to a bygone era of entertainment, while remaining solidly contemporary, packed with political satire and present-day references that might make an audience of a certain political persuasion uncomfortable, or, in the spirit of Brecht, alienated. But who cares with such entertainment and (dark, sly, biting) fun! With just a cello and a mandolin (well, okay: a ukulele) they strum, glide and sprechgesang through endless literary references – possibly lost on the audience – and socio-political subjects that would sound preachy from standard stand-up performers.
Yet The Creative Martyrs are more creative than glib. By engaging in silly singalongs, they make the audience almost complicit in modern hypocrisy. “While the elite are sailing their fleet” is a clear reference to the dehumanising language of ‘small boats’ which has – it could be argued – led to the recent race-riots, they have the audience singing back “It’s just common sense” – sending up those who just don’t get it. Satire at its very best.
We look forward to chatting with this dark and delightful duet, and we will also be inviting storytelling contributions from our gathering – in the spirit of audience participation, if not Brechtian alienation. To help us with this, we welcome another performer from the Free Fringe, Captain Ants, who embodies the craziness of the Festival Fringe.
Better-known among the more edgy, underground scene (such as the former Henry’s Cellar Bar) Captain Ants will have us ‘Shouting and Screaming’ – if his show-title is to be taken at its word – or if not, then marvelling at the crazy noises emitted from a Theremin and other sound-emitting devices. We may also have other crazy musicians and acrobats with ukuleles on unicycles - who knows: anything goes!
Equally quirky, Experiment Human, the off-beat show performed by sisters Rosa and Maya Hallpike, was our first visit to the Festival Fringe. With a ridiculous premise of finding Benedict Cumberbatch in the attic, the two characters – known collectively and individually, it seems, as ‘Monkion’ – spin a series of escapades, two-handers, improvisations, and generally absurd shenanigans often involving the audience. With every performance bound to be different depending on the reactions, the show shifts between slick and slightly silly; professionally polished, yet never taking itself too seriously. We look forward to a glimpse, but the whole piece is on at the Underbelly.
From audience alienation, to participation, we now come to adoration: Aquapella bring a real feel-good vibe to the world of popular vocal music. The last time we saw this group (not counting their visit to our 4th Birthday Party) the performance-space was intimate, but challenging, with audience surrounding them on three sides. This year, the group embraced the front-facing proscenium and gave a truly theatrical show, enabling them to deliver a powerfully ‘vocal’ performance. With members of the group introducing and sometimes giving some well-humoured technical explanations, the audience were amicably drawn in.
Literary folk like a good, pun, and Aquapella embrace this with their ‘a Capella’ vocals. Their voices range through many octaves, making good use of the theatre’s sound technicians. Thundering sub-bass, percussive beat-boxing, and generous reverb all create an exciting soundscape. After high-voltage numbers, they’re unafraid to bring the mood down to a ‘chorus’ pitted against a soloist: each time, allowing individuals to shine, especially with the lines “I’m not afraid” in the penultimate number, ‘Who’s Gonna Love You Now.’
Evidently, the audience loves them, and with another sell-out this was a great opportunity not only to meet the current line-up, but afterwards to see some of the former members of this student-run group. The current line-up may have changed since they joined us two years ago, but they retain the same ethos, and excellence. Among the alumni there are some 70+ members, who continue to join together for annual reunions.
Music, like literature and all the arts, has the knack of creating communities. There’s never a better time than Festival to bring people together, which is why we hold our fictitious ‘Birthday’ during August in Edinburgh. We are happy to have such good friends among our community as we reach out for another year of fostering, encouraging, and enjoying the huge array of Art and Literature that defines our Festival City.
[clip of Aquapella performing at our 4th Birthday Bash, August 2022]
NOTES:
Experiment Human is at the Underbelly Cowgate at 2pm daily until the 25th
Aquapella are at Gilded Balloon, at the Patter Hoose at 1pm daily until the 24th
The Creative Martyrs are at PBH Free Fringe, Fingers Piano Bar, 9pm until the 25th
Shouting & Screaming is at PBH Free Fringe, Burrito 'n' Shake, 10pm from 19th to 25th
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