An outstanding ventriloquism debut
★★★★☆
After the sun has set at the Pleasance Courtyard the sinister things lurking in the cellar come out to play. Ventriloquist Lachlan Werner is amongst them and with devilish intent has conjured up one of the most unexpected and hilarious shows going. It is uniquely wild and perfect for anyone seeking a late night thrill
Brew the witch is preparing a ritual, readying to sacrifice her reluctant and timid choir boy Lachy in order to summon a wicked evil. The foulmouthed Brew, puppeteered wondrously by Werner croaks out her needs for the ceremony implying that none of us are going to escape with our lives, and if we do it’ll take years of therapy to recover - how nerve-racking… Immediately we are onboard, the silliness of the situation, irresistible to not go along with and we become willing participants of the ritual.
Werner excels in his audience work, rapidly reacting to individuals’ input, seemingly sparking humour out of thin air. The puppet lightly bullies and toys with the crowd, apparently with a life entirely of its own thanks to Werner’s immaculate ventriloquism skillset - it as if Brew the Witch is commanding the proceedings and not Werner’s Lachy. The semi-abusive relationship the pair share is raucous and ridiculous, Lachy attempting to find his own voice shouted down by his master. The absurdist nature of the show had the audience, myself included, in hysterics and I whole heartedly believe that Werner has reanimated the world of ventriloquism. Deeply unexpected twists and turns ensure this show is a mad, barbaric and down right side-splitting romp - if I had time, I'd be going again.
Running 6-14th, 16-22th, 24-27th - Tickets