Altogether now: "I'm a sock, I'm a sock, you wear me on your feet not on your co..."Ahem. Now, where were we?
The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre are an Edinburgh Fringe (and UK comedy circuit) institution. At first glance, the amateurish-looking puppet booth and mangy-looking socks with google eyes and lolling tongues may lead you to believe this show would be best suited for the under-fives. Give it five seconds however, and you'll quickly realise that this one-man / two-sock outfit actually offers some of the funniest, fastest-paced and smartest comedy appearing at the Fringe.
TSFSPT is the brainchild of Kev Sutherland, who quickly realised the comedy potential of sock puppets. With Scottish accents. Speaking and singing in falsetto voices. What's not to like?
Especially when the comedy is equal parts ad-lib, improv, rude, corny and (in what may be the biggest surprise to the uninitiated) extremely clever. TSFSPT's shows always contain at least one longish parody of a famous movie or a Shakespeare play, and here the literary in-jokes and puns fly fast, proving that Sutherland is a smart writer as well as an energetic and accomplished performer. With this year's show title being The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre Goes To Hollywood, expect some razor-sharp spoofing of some celluloid classic or other (although secretly, I'm hoping for another Shakespeare rip-off...)
Appearing again in the sweatbox that is the Gilded Balloon Teviot, expect to be fooled by the conceit that you are watching two daft socks quipping and snipping at each other; until the very end, when a drenched and scarlet Sutherland will likely emerge, deserving of the applause you'll surely give him.
The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre Goes To Hollywood runs from 5th to 30th August at Gilded Balloon Teviot. Prices from £9.
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We went to see the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre at the Edinburgh Fringe not knowing what to expect really. A comedy performance by sock puppets, on the face of it, doesn't sound as if it will be too entertaining, does it? :)
ReplyDeleteThe show was the funniest I saw in Edinburgh, total laughter from beginning to end. The comedy is very clever, delivered in a quick, super fast paced way and your attention never wanders - even though you are melting in the heat of the Gilded Balloon!
Loved everything about the show (the highlight being the tribute to Michael Jackson) - go see it, you will love the show, honestly!
Seren