Comedy
Presented by Objective Talent
The Noodle Palace
29th January
by Michael Nield
Critically acclaimed British comedian Alexis Dubus returns to Perth Fringe for the third time this year. Leaving his famed alter ego Marcel Lucont in the hotel room for an hour, Cars and Girls is certainly a departure from his previous style.
Dubus divulges stories about chipped teeth and broken hearts, student fundraisers and naked bike rides, hippies and truckers, all in the quest for love and meaning. Two things are revealed: Alexis knows very little about cars and girls, and his favourite ones are red.
An interesting artistic decision sees Alexis Dubus tell his tale in the form of a 55 minute poem. Rhyming couplets with inconsistent rhythm and a meter that is sometimes forced can make it difficult to follow at times. However, this narrative vehicle allows for some very clever plays on words, good puns, and a handful of truly beautiful moments of poignancy. The highlights of this performance are the hilarious impersonations and interpretations of the characters Alexis meets on his journey; his French truckers, American hippies and Chilean festival goers lend this tale a sense of humanity and curiosity which struck a cord with the small audience at the Noodle Palace.
Unfortunately for Alexis it seems that his meticulously crafted jokes failed to land consistently in the TAFE auditorium, perhaps because his visual aids and simple stage made it feel like an intellectual presentation. With that in mind, the personal photos, gritty stories told with love, striking imagery, simple use of light and sound, and a clever use of timing and pause make for a show that is both mesmerizing and captivating.
Cars and Girls has genuine and absurd qualities only afforded to talented traveling comedians. A witty voice with no remorse and no small gift for storytelling, Alexis Dubus – Cars and Girls is an adventure well worth the fare.
Alexis Dubus – Cars and Girls plays weekends at the Noodle Palace until Sunday the 7th February and then for one night on the 19th February at the Rectangle Room in Midland. For more information see the Fringe program here.
