festivus

An alarming number of shows at this year’s Fringe are using violence against women as a device. It is so disappointing, and frankly downright infuriating, to see that this issue is still brushed aside in the name of a plot twist. Festivus, a new play from social enterprise production company Signature Pictures, is the latest in a line to use an attack on a woman in such a way. Signature Pictures, partnered with Jobcentre Plus, is a company offering young unemployed people vital opportunities in the creative industries. This is critical to the expansion of the industry, but melodrama and ill-considered narratives are not the way to move forward.

Two couples, Danielle and Nathan (Rosie Porter and playwright Sami Larabi) and Tom and Laura (Jamie O’Neill and Sally Horwill) head to the eponymous festival in full fancy dress for a weekend of drugs and electronica. Ignore all connotations with the Seinfeld spoof holiday, Festivus is Britain’s top adrenaline-charged music festival. The ensemble start strong with fast paced, colloquial dialogue against a backdrop of electronic music and strobe lighting. All the performers bounce off one another well, keeping the pace throughout.

Soon, arguments ensue over various characters’ dishonesty; everyone is wound up like a spring waiting to unwind. Things take a turn for the worse; Nathan – off his face on cocaine and cheap beer – decides to go faeces flinging, hits Danielle and vanishes. It’s confusing as to whether there’s an anti-drug message in all of this. The programme tells me that the play questions the extremes which people reach in pursuit of a hedonistic lifestyle, and this message does come across to some extent. Visually, Festivus is brilliant; technical effects are applied to great effect against a set which immerses the audience into the festival atmosphere. Overall, however, as the emotional highs turn to melodrama, the play’s conclusion is disappointing.

Festivus is playing at C Nova (Venue 145) until 31 August (no performance on 17) as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. For more information, visit the Edinburgh Fringe website.