A surreal tale, detached from reality and any form of cohesion, The Oddity is one of those plays that seems to pop up throughout the Fringe, eager to convey its mismatched charm, but not at the expense of displeasing the crowd. Dr. Melvyn Waugh is our principal character, who kidnaps unsuccessful ice-lolly-stick joke-writer Walter Pierce, and escapes on a journey of self-discovery where they meet a host of characters played by the other two performers.
A cross section of the cast include a Forest Queen with a nasty tendency to turn people into pigs, a third-dimensionally challenged Cyclops, and a slightly unhinged colour-blind professor who kills two of the actors by the end of the show. This is mixed with a healthy smattering of slow burning jokes and even some improvised banter, taken to the audience when a spectator is accused of hiding props.
This barmy production should appeal to the most bewildered of show-goer, looking for throwaway humour in a highly unusual package. It’s the only show I know of where the audience are frantically ushered from their seats whilst the actors lie bleeding onstage. See? Nuts! Downright silly, but damned entertaining.
3/5
Simon Ferguson
