Finishing out a debut season rather aptly on Valentine’s Day, the dynamic show explores the ways love transcends language as it jauntily sashays through multiple genres, theatrical offerings, and languages. Fringe darling Jon Madd, may already be a familiar multi-talented star for some FRINGE WORLD fans and delights with his alter-ego Johnno McDonno, a musically gifted clown with a penchant for yellow and red. The love story unfolds and it seems he’s found himself a true Queen.
The show opens as if the cosy tent and its audience had been transported into a live Japanese game show, complete with effervescent and delightfully charming host Super Marie. Within moments, Super Marie will have the crowd clapping, laughing, and cheering along to what they hope is the appropriate moment in a multi-linguistic adventure through her astounding catalogue of talents. Not only can she spin, defy gravity, rend objects asunder, she can captivate and enchant the heart of Johnno McDonno. Affable and adorably comic, Johnno is an emotive force, conveying much of the human experience through expressive mime and song. The audience is easily transported along with him as we too are mesmerised by Super Marie and his hopeful endeavour to find a loving match with her.
Interspersed amongst the laughs, designed to be family-friendly, there are plenty of coy messages speaking to the experiences of those who have fallen and dared to hope for love. Finding ways to see each other’s values, goals, and support those eventual triumphs, it’s a sweet romp into your heart even as you clap and cheer through the giggles. It’s hard to define the category of what this adventure in a tent is and that only magnifies the charm. An assortment of talent, and a variety of emotions, the end result is falling in love with the way these two lovebirds fall in love. If you’re after aerial artistry, feats of acrobatic wonderment, sweet ballads, sleight of hand, the highs and lows of love, this is it. If you want a guaranteed fun hour, watch out for the next edition of this show.