Comedy
by Trixie and Monkey
The Spiegeltent, the Pleasure Garden
Sat Jan 24
Review by Evie Perry

Sitting in the aisle of a Fringe performance can be a petrifying experience, knowing at any given moment you may be dragged kicking and screaming off your chair and into the spotlight, thrust into the possible hell that is audience participation. Monkey and I made brief eye contact — a twinkling exchange. Surely he would not choose me, not with my fearless and disapproving glance. Despite difficult translation from human to animal, physical expression breaks all barriers.

Read my lips, Monkey: three stars at best.

The show ‘The Time is Ripe’ (a fruity pun amongst endless fruity puns) has been crafted over a period of eight years. Details have been tirelessly rehearsed in the hope of producing an enjoyable experience for all. To some, it’ll be worth it, but to others, this will fall very flat. The physical feats are impressive; Trixie’s immense strength for lifting Monkey from a bent back as well as a synchronized trapeze act were certainly entertaining. Although after eight years of rehearsal, it is perhaps worth asking why the show’s creators have been seemingly unwilling to present audiences with something beyond banana themed toilet humor (I was surprised, in particular, at the repetition of drawing attention to the phallic symbol for humor). Nonetheless, it was clear the local audience was amused, even during the disturbing act of Trixie dressing as a sex fortune-teller in a fashion distinctively akin to a traditional Roma woman.

Not a second thought was given as Trixie put on an exaggerated curly wig as well as dressing herself in colourful scarfs and a peasant skirt. Trixie mimicked a heavy Eastern European accent and spoke about having mystical powers and being able to predict an individual’s sexual future. By this, the act became increasingly ‘racy’ (significantly more so than the banana strip tease which it followed) within the context of an additional layer of magical ‘exoticism.’ Trixie’s cultural appropriation (gasp!) perpetuates the prejudice of Roma women (or ‘Gypsies’ as they are often incorrectly called) as a stereotype of highly sexual and magical creatures. To continue the trend of casually appropriating cultures, the trapeze act followed a theme of the Kama Sutra, an Indian study of human sexuality. However, unlike the Kama Sutra, this act excluded any insightful examination of sex. Instead, Trixie and Monkey both simply pressed their index finger on their thumb and contorted their bodies to replicate figures in classical Indian art. This, again, perpetuates exotic stereotypes of Indian culture.

Needless to say, the audience enjoyed the performance. Throughout the show, they would laugh hysterically at the barrage of overused banana jokes; meanwhile I sat with in my seat, mostly cringing. Occasionally smiling, and once or twice coming close to laughter. But mostly cringing…

Trixie and Monkey: The Time is Ripe runs on Monday 26 January and Tuesday 27 January. Tickets here.