Monkey Business

The difficulty for amateur companies putting on a musical comedy at the Fringe is that they are competing with slick home-based and international professional companies. Thus the audience expectation is very high. This production has good points but it has major flaws.

The story follows five monks of St. Bernard’s Monastery who have to raise $250,000 otherwise the Monastery will be taken over to become a casino. They have the opportunity to raise the cash by doing a radio broadcast.

The biggest successes in the show were the musical numbers where the five performers camped it up in some of the song and dance routines, for example, Satan’s place. The humour for the most part does not work. Much of this centres on the Irish Abbot Costello character, who likes the drink. The constant repetition of drunken mispronunciations becomes annoyingly predictable. This really could be toned down and used more selectively. The acting abilities are uneven. Gavin Davidson, as the monk who is not all he seems, put in a menacing and convincing performance.

There is no doubting the energy and resolve that has gone into staging this production but I don’t think the decision to play at the Fringe was wise.

**

B

Fringe Programme Page No

209

Company

Hollyracket Productions

Venue Name and Number

Greenside  V231

Dates and Times

22, 23 & 24th  August  18.00  to   19.30

Comedy 2007

Music 2007

Others 2007

Theatre 2007

Musicals 2007

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