Review by Steve Bennett

Mime has a popularity rating somewhere south of Tariq Aziz, thanks to the image perpetuated by an army of shopper-bothering white-faced fools struggling against imaginary hurricanes.

But it is the oldest of comedy artforms, a heritage resolutely being kept alive by the likes of The Business, a quartet of Aussie women who have exported their clowning skills around the world.

And it's easy to see why they are in such demand. Even for those who are no particular fans of silent comedy, and I count myself among their number, there is plenty to enjoy. And if clowning is your bag, this will be a riot.

The quartet skilfully play four men, each with distinctive characteristics communicated instantly by their appearance, and wonderfully enhanced by the slightest change in expression. There's the pompous straight-laced Captain Mainwaring type, the shy, modest wallflower and a couple of sly mischief-makers, each encouraged by the other.

The big laughs may come from the big gestures - the brawling, the grappling with a music stand or the over-the-top dance moves - but the detail provides subtlety and texture. They prove you don't need words to be eloquent.

Set while an orchestra awaits a big concert, the show is stylishly done, and successfully evokes a Thirties atmosphere, all the way from the jazz dancing to the Groucho Marx face furniture. The best moments are more post-modern, though, as they subvert the mechanics of mime.

There's a hint of downbeat pathos to close the show, but mostly this is all about the joy of the big gesture. Just like the almost obligatory fart gag early in the show, this talented foursome prove themselves silent but deadly.

Review date: 1 Jan 2003
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett