Edinburgh Fringe 2018
Pamela’s Palace
Interactive Theatre International
Genre: Comedy, Interactive
Venue: The Principal (Venue 119)
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Pamela is the hard won queen of a buzzing beauty salon. But behind the glamour, there are secrets that threaten to bring the walls of her suburban Palace crumbling down. With all the drama of a Mike Leigh, the sparkle of Strictly Ballroom and a free glass of bubbles, this brilliantly funny and bittersweet comedy celebrates the vulnerability and strength of everyone trying to make their way in an unforgiving world. Bought to you by the same crew behind Faulty Towers the Dining Experience and The Wedding Reception.
Review
Want to try a new beauty salon? Pamela’s Palace is the place to go for all the latest hair styles (plus a bit of gossip and intrigue) these days! This is an interactive devised show with well drawn characters that are most certainly out there, you may even recognize some of them from your local hairdresser.
It is also an experience you will not forget! Three actors inhabit the three characters working in the salon. We meet Bronwen first when she makes small talk and gets things moving. She’s not the brightest but will surely learn a lot from her far more experienced colleagues about running a beauty salon. Next, is Tiffany, she harbors great ambitions and is a vibrant employee with ready answers to everything and everyone.
The salon has seen better days, let’s say it’s full of personality, with is own theme. Comfy chairs for the customers and elegant long gauze curtains at each end, with the odd string of plastic ivy draped here and there complete the decor. Busy phone calls and snappy conversations between Bronwen and Tiffany take place that are typical in many work places – until the boss arrives, of course. Pamela takes charge immediately, she is a force of nature – big hair, big personality and (possibly) a big ego. You decide.
Pamela has a dream, a vision for her salon that is ambitious and poetic. The events in the beauty salon are enacted and brought to life in a variety of ways, including dance, music, characters, humour, conflict, ad lib, to name but a few. The cast of three is excellent. Each actor creates her character believably and never comes out of it, although it would be easy to do so, given the circumstances that arise, some unexpectedly! The casting for each character is absolutely perfect! Their facial expressions, demeanor, physicality and character’s attitude fit their characters very well and they develop with the story.
Costumes are vibrant and the few props add authenticity to the salon and the theatrical production. An interesting element to a show by this creative interactive theatre company is that snacks are included – the night I went it was a glass of Prosecco and some nuts. Pamela’s Palace is a fun and entertaining theatrical experience with an interesting story, well acted, with lots of laughter – Highly Recommended!
