Directed by Tara Louise Notcutt
Performed by Albert Pretorius, James Cairns and Rob van
Vuuren
Fringe World
Until February 24
The small but deadly strike force South Africa has sent to
infiltrate our Fringe has hit again, this time with a taut, hilarious political
allegory about – you guessed it – three pig brothers and a big, bad wolf.
The brothers are pigs of the “’ello, ’ello, ’ello”, as well
as the ham and bacon, variety, and two of them have been blown up and blowtorched
by a shadowy crime boss (their finger-lickingly delicious autopsy is a
highlight). The younger, smaller brother (Rob van Vuuren) knows the bad guys
are after him next, and goes squealing to the cops, in particular an Irish goat
(Albert Pretorious) and a hard as nails chicken (James Cairns).
They take the case to the head of the Pig Squad the brothers
had been members of, Vark Jansen (a gloriously funny name, sounding for all the
world like an very impolite imprecation, when said with the appropriate accent),
and the hunt for the murderer is on.
It’s great fun, but for all the fun and games,
there’s serious intent behind the laughs. I’ve speculated before
that the extraordinary history and ethnic, political and economic circumstances
of SA have produced an alternative theatre with a particular energy and
edginess.
I wonder if any other national theatre can produce work with
this fever, and this determination. It’s both instructive and inspirational to
have these fine examples of it at our Fringe.
Link here to the complete review in The West Australian.
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