Created and Performed by Britt Plummer

Review by Marina Funcasta

Premised on the dream of realising a clown wedding, Britt Plummer’s ‘Fool’s Paradise’ can be called anything but unoriginal; her methods of story-telling, be it in narrative style, involvement of the audience, or the use of (many) props (which prove multi-purposeful), is more imaginative than many other comedy shows this year at fringe. Although in some cases Plummer’s ideas come across as almost too imaginative for the ‘everyman’, the time and care Plummer has invested in their show is nonetheless clear – almost too clear, one could say.

The clown wedding emerges at different points in the narrative. Apparently having dreamt about this since the beginning of their relationship, Plummer’s character’s dream emerges as detailed and whacky. The actual ceremony, however, doesn’t come till the end. The principal focus centres on the narrator’s long-distance relationship. 

Executed brilliantly by Plummer, the bride and groom are manifested in ways which seem absurd at first, but in an impressive suspension of disbelief, even the smallest audience can’t help but fall into Plummer’s paradise; the ludicrous sacrifices one makes for love, or what seems like love, spring up as relatable archetypes, even if they come in the form of dramatised takeaway coffee cups, or personified mops. 

However, this suspension of disbelief, though amusing, was not maintained to great success. The play, as crazy as it is comic, unfortunately, fails to convince in its authenticity; it seems like the narrator’s relationship is doomed from the onset, making the narrative itself rather insubstantial, and at times, tedious. While a few jokes nonetheless inject a refreshing vitality into the plot, they can’t help but fall back into monotony. 

Although Plummer herself is an incredibly expressive storyteller, with her eager eyes and high-pitched voice perfectly characterising the delusional bride, her writing fails to uphold the same levels of mirth. At times the jokes are wanting, and though self-deprecation is a wondrous tool when overused, it trips into the realm of pity rather than relatability. This is a shame, as Plummer’s onstage and offstage charisma is palpable, even while enacting a dialogue between two mugs. 

In a word, this play is definitely a bit of fun; with audience members being given roles at the final ceremonious performance of the wedding, the roles are definitely a show of brilliance from Plummer. Having said that, some are certainly better than others: reliant on their relationship with the bride or groom, some roles are certainly less fortunate, and, to be sure, less demanding. In true clown fashion, some surprises are in store for those daring enough to volunteer; warning – those with an aversion to bananas, consider yourselves warned!