Velvet
This stunner of a show is nothing less than a pure endorphin rush - and yet, the word 'pure' seems to give the wrong impression of such a relentlessly sexy and spicy extravaganza. The feelings of freedom and joy that characterised the disco world of the 1970s are distilled, intensified, and pumped up into one heck of a blast from the past - complete with the one-and-only Marcia Hines, still a dazzling diva after all these years, and whose Queen of Pop crown shines brighter than ever here.
Hines will be a large part of Velvet's box office draw, but the ensemble of talent surrounding her can easily be called world-class, and are just as strong a reason to put this show on your must-see list. There is a central figure of sorts (an innocent whose eyes are opened as he is coaxed out of his shell), but no conventional dialogue, just the classic lyrics we should all know and love, combined with the breathtaking power of the performances.
Velvet may be listed in the 'cabaret' page of your Fringe guide, but this umbrella term does next to no justice to the impact and variety to be found here. There is music, dance, burlesque, acrobatics, physical spectacle, even an acknowledgement of the dark side of the dream, visualised by the brief inclusion of bondage gear, and embodied by a deathly quiet but powerfully impactful solo acoustic rendition of a Bee Gees classic.
To go into any further detail would be difficult, since Velvet is not easily - or usefully - reduced to analysis or even criticism. It's simply a thriller and a killer and an uplifting experience that will get you shaking your groove thing!
Anthony Vawser
Image: Brendan Maclean and Stephen Williams. Photographer: Sam Oster
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