The Cautionary Tale of Barry Von Peabody and the Scarlet St Theatre
Live Review
Melbourne International Comedy Festival

The skill and artistry that has gone into this exquisitely cute finger-puppet epic is quite remarkable. A cast of tiny, gorgeous creations tell the bitter-sweet story of a tragic theatre impresario, who fled Nazi Germany to establish a Melbourne variety hall, even if his dream cost him a broken heart.

Just 16 people pack into a makeshift tent to watch this miniature extravaganza, just enough to see the incredible detail of the set and the stars. And there is amazing attention to that detail. At one point the young Barry himself has a Punch and Judy show in Berlin, requiring an even smaller set of figures, while a tiny shadow-puppet ballerina set against the light of a full moon is pure delight.

But whether the script is funny enough for a comedy festival is another point altogether. For much of the time, laughs are not even the intent, but the cabaret sequences in front of the sparkly backdrop are not particularly amusing, and the offstage banter resembles the Muppet Show in situation only. Some of the creativity is witty, however, such as a spiralling dream sequence, or a charming wedding scene.

This is all the work of puppeteer Jacob Williams, who brings his character to life with such technical brilliance and dexterity that it’s sometimes hard to believe it’s just him beneath the miniscule stage. But there’s clearly no room for anyone else there.

It’s an impressive show guaranteed to make you feel good at the sheer cuteness of the universe he’s created, even if it’s more of a fringe theatre gem than a comedy festival offering, measured by laugh-out-loud standards.