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Across the Festivals: The Man in the Moone

Lorna Irvine sees potential, but not a great performance, in the Fringe production.

Rhum and Clay are just one of many companies/performers at this year's Festival who studied the Lecoq method of bouffon (a boundary-busting style more malevolent and loose than mere clowning). Among them are the unquestionable hit of this year's Fringe, Red Bastard, who shapes his invective into something approximating a twisted guru, bullying the potential (and the Bejesus) out of his (mostly) willing audience. The wonderful trio Clout bring a simmering sadism to their pieces, where laughter and squirming meet.

So hopes were high for Rhum and Clay's The Man in the Moone (**), coming as it does from this left-field direction.

Sadly, it falls flat, in spite of a quartet of committed performers and a cute moveable set by Alberta Jones which resembles rejected IKEA offcuts. The story, such as it is, concerns the asthmatic maverick Professor Phillip Bower (Julian Spooner) and his plans for staging a Space Olympics. So consumed is he by his plans that he leaves his wife and hitches a ride to the moon (as one does) where, en route, he meets a nutty explorer and preacher man. It's here that the tale, which could have been a stunning Boys' Own adventure with a twist, runs out of gas.

The choreography just isn't interesting enough, and the narrative basic and rather limp. At the end, there is a sense of something underdeveloped, which is a shame as there is a great deal of potential within the company.

At the Pleasance Courtyard. Run has finished.

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