Edinburgh Fringe 2012
Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theater – Chunky Woollen Nits
Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
Genre: Puppetry
Venue:
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
It is extremely rare to experience a family comedy show that keeps every audience member (parents and children) completely captivated and laughing for the entire performance, but this is one. An hour full of skilled, perfectly timed and executed witty-banter, both scripted and improvised, and plenty of audience interaction.
Review
Embarking on a journey through every ‘genry of filim and tv’ a pair of socks have the audience looking at Halloween, Period Drama and Musicals in a way that we never have before, and will never look at in the same way again. There’s Magic, Social Media, a Michael Jackson tribute, and the grand finale of the show is an excerpt from the greatest movie of all time.
I never thought that a pair of socks could be a family show highlight, but the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre (“and so am I, and so is he”) Chunky Woollen Nits (the family friendly version with all the sweary-words removed) is a show that had every single audience member, young and old, laughing until they cried. In fact, by 45 minutes in, I simply didn’t have the energy to laugh out loud anymore, and had to laugh on the inside instead!
This is a masterful performance on all levels. Puppet costume changes are so quick you would swear that a team of people were behind the scenes keeping everything in order. Set is as you would expect for a puppet show, and a technician to help with the lighting and sound, but it is the writing of this show that is the triumph. Each new subject contains material enjoyed by all. It is neither childish nor adult, it is completely entertaining, continuous and consistent, delivered rapid-fire from two socks! The skill of the puppeteer is also evident in interacting with the audience, providing impressive improvised moments in an already well-structured show.
As the hour of almost continuous laughter concluded, many audience members were genuinely amazed when only one puppeteer (Kev Sutherland) stood up and took a bow. Not surprisingly, he looked as though he had expended a great deal of energy, but not in vain. This was an outstanding performance. Well worth 5 stars.
