FairLy Tales is a completely improvised show by four talented performers, relying on nothing but their wits and a briefcase full of props. Each introduces themselves, and then delves into the audience with dictionaries and thesauri to be supplied with the words that will shape today’s events. Some are individual tales, others with a narrative and on the spot acting by all the company.
Storytelling is dealt with as swiftly and effectively as poetry and song, and the ingenuity with the props is wonderful. True to form, the words and their derived stories are wound together at the end, in a seconds long reminder.
The standout performance for me today was from Andrew Jones, who continually strives to twist his interpretation of the words away from the expected. An example showcasing the talent on stage is my highlight of this particular show, where we are treated to the adventures of Tom Lawyer and Huckleberry Banker, who swindle their way down the Mississippi, land snatching with their real estate wrangling.
The beauty of FairLy Tales, however, is that the content changes daily, dependent on the words chosen. What is consistent though, is the quality of performance and abilities of the four performers and their improvisations; always high, and often too good to believe.
4/5
Simon Ferguson
