Edinburgh Fringe 2010
The Inconsiderate Aberrations of Billy the Kid
2headedpigeon Theatre Company
Venue: Bedlam
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
An Irreverent Punk rock musical satire hits us with music, murder and much knockabout dark comedy
Review
Listen. Two people who came to see this with me, came out saying it was a poor show. I pointed out to them that people came out of the early Sex Pistols gigs (and later ones too) saying they were rubbish, couldn’t play their instruments and had no ear for a tune. And they didn’t care – the Sex Pistols that was.
"F***k you, Scotland!" were the final words this production shouted at us before their rather warm-hearted curtain call at the end of The Inconsiderate Aberrations of Billy the Kid. So, if I review this purely as theatre, it is uneven, poor in places, strong in places, the punk music often strays into metal, and the quality of the acting varies strongly.
But wait – this is a punk rock musical. It doesn’t, or shouldn’t care. And if it does care, then it shouldn’t care that it does care. As punk, it subverts the form very well, the aborted foetus that can well hold a tune is just one of the attempts to shock and provoke that includes the main story line – the tale of cute kid matricide.
The cast work hard, and I can imagine the audience response varying from night to night and venue to venue. The band is slick and the music too loud. The microphones often distort but there are many set pieces that set the show alight and also elicit howls of laughter from those in who have entered into his horrific spirit.
Bad taste, in your face, puke-worthy, bold and brash, as theatre it is a mixed bag. As punk, it’s well worth seeing. But we don’t care.
