FRINGE CABARET/COMEDY – Trickster – La Boheme – 3.5K

Opening night of the Fringe Festival, a thankful and appreciative Bradley Storer took the stage in his tight undies, with his face poorly painted white immediately receiving an uneasy laugh from the quiet audience; bracing all for what was to come. Throughout the entirety of his performance, Storer kept drawing the audience back to that same feeling, the “I shouldn’t be laughing at this” laugh.

With jokes ranging from Trump to Harold Holt, Jonestown to The Holocaust; Storer had some great, well researched, historically accurate material all with the potential to get big laughs. However, he lacked comical timing and at times his punchline delivery was a little off. Again, he often left the audience in an awkward state of panic, trying to rise above laughing at such horrible things, it seemed as though this was a part of the show, convincing us, the audience that why shouldn’t we focus on the lighter side of horrific moments in our recent and distant history? And for that Storer should be commended, regardless of performance quality, it takes courage.

Above all Storer’s musical performance was the epitome of Trickster. All songs chosen were not only relevant to the social and political issues he was addressing but, were wonderfully arranged and performed. Storer did well to fight through exterior noise coming from the floor below, Storer wasn’t deterred or shaken and his vocals remained great and exceeded expectation. An incredible range that he should, definitely use more often; a clearly gifted and classically trained vocalist. An incredible range that he should definitely use more often.

All in all, if it’s cabaret, an excellent vocal performance, an uneasy laugh or a mutual hate of Donald Trump and Pauline Hansen you’re after, than Trickster is the show for you.

Kryztoff Rating: 3.5K

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