Bum puppeteers, Shaftesbury Town Hall
Puppetry is big this year in the UK.
Physical theatre is even bigger.
And this could be the biggest year ever for rectal related performances (Lydia Funt’s incredibly choreographed ‘Pyramids and Sphincters’ and Cheese Hut Production’s searing social commentary ‘Anus and Me’ to name just two).
So with ‘Super Massive Brown Hole’, New Zealand’s Bum Puppeteers should have been riding the shitegeist.
And indeed they were awarded a national tour just of the back of their name alone. However the promoter should have looked more carefully before jumping on the BumWagon ™ because this production is sadly lacking in the pants department.
During the show they hit bum note after bum note in a piece that just doesn’t ring.
A tale of secrets, lies and physics, set to the music of Devon rock sensations Muse, the production is failed by weak scripting and even weaker sphincter muscles (if you do go, avoid the front row).
There is one standout performance however, from Tabatha Hopkins, who to the audience’s amazement, actually disappears up her own arse. (just don’t ask me how she did it!)
However this circus trick not-with-standing there’s not enough to lift a lacklustre show out of the gutter:
One (brown) star performance.
