Review by Steve Bennett

I think it is meant to be a sketch show, or it could be a variety show, it’s hard to say. There are three sections, the first being a story told by a woman sitting on a pillow in a traditional Japanese style called rakugo. This explains the ‘sit-down’ element but I struggled to see the comedy. There is a very long explanation of what mime is with pointless demonstrations of how we are to distinguish between two characters played by the same person which seems patronising. After a good five minutes of the lecture on how to watch the story, it becomes painfully apparent that this was meant to be the funny bit and the story is really just a story.

Section two is more bizarre and even less amusing. The double act of Anesamakings who arrive on stage done up like geisha, strumming shamisen, the joke seems to be that one of them is a man. The duo sing an incomprehensible song and then do a bit of a dance then leave the stage and a very perplexed audience.

The final act is the strongest, Kakushow has an amazing skill at the ancient Japanese paper cutting art kirie. He produces an exceptional portrait of a man in the audience just using a pair of scissors and a piece of white A4, the result is astonishing and spectacular, but again I am wondering where the laughs are.

There is a puppet show as a finale which is reminiscent of watching a toddler smashing two of their dolls together for ten minutes.

The only reason why this show gains an extra star is of its novelty and the skill of Kakushow. You will genuinely not see anything else like this on the Fringe and that must be a good thing – as well as a relief.

Reviewed by: Corry Shaw

Review date: 1 Jan 2008
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett