Review by Annie Aslett
George Square Studio Gardens: Tickets
Forget the chicken and the egg; anyone attending a Reuben Kaye show at the Palais du Variété must wonder whether the grand, sultry circus tent inspired the performer, or whether hosting Kaye’s wicked glamour is this venue’s raison d’être. So at home is Kaye in this, his natural habitat, that Live and Intimidating begins off-stage; he waits at the door for latecomers, then prowls the room, drink in hand, greeting his rapt audience with warmth and his trademark filthy banter. Never knowingly underdressed, Kaye towers in heels and velvet trousers, his vampy eye and lip accentuating every glittering joke as wit pours out of him, the front row at his mercy. Kaye has a show ready-made here if he ever gets lazy, his audience interaction providing some of the night’s biggest laughs.
Lazy, however, is not a word in this loquacious Australian’s vocabulary as the show proceeds with his idiosyncratic brand of fast-paced, witheringly topical comedy. One cannot help but marvel at Kaye’s unfaltering delivery of the songs and satire he has so painstakingly constructed, unafraid to address any issue and lambasting modern villains such as Tait, Farage and Trump. Fans of Kaye will recognize some lines, which are no less funny nor true for having heard them before. In contrast to some of Kaye’s previous satire-heavy songs, Live and Intimidating’s score, while excellent, feels more like window dressing; musical interludes with the satire saved for a lengthier stand-up portion. Kaye is at his most dazzling when he blends musicality and message, and the middle portion of the show feels bereft of this scintillating combination. The slightly unbalanced structure is likely a concession to the shorter run time for the Fringe; Live and Intimidating, the whole show, plays at London’s Soho Theatre during September and is sure to address this pacing issue.
Live and Intimidating has a less singular, though no less important, narrative than other Reuben Kaye shows; last year’s The Butch is Back was sharply focused on Kaye’s self-acceptance through the lens of his family. The overarching theme of this year’s show is the importance of queer people unapologetically claiming their space and voice in a world that is increasingly keen to silence them. What a space, and what a voice. Kaye’s domination of the Edinburgh Fringe, now in his seventh year at one of the festival’s most impressive venues, puts him at the vanguard of this, blazing a trail for the current and next generation of queer artists. Kaye is a stalwart of the festival and always finishes by encouraging his audience to see art made “by people who don’t look like you”. This Kaye’s immense passion for raising up the voices of the persecuted is imbued in every minute of Live and Intimidating and is what makes every Reuben Kaye show a must-see.
Review by Annie Aslett (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Annie is a not-so-recent graduate of the University of Edinburgh with a degree in French and Spanish, along with a Masters in Translation from the University of Glasgow. A Spanish teacher for three years, she decided to leave the classroom behind to pursue personal goals and has since been regularly reviewing for Corr Blimey’s Glaswegian wing. Annie is a life-long lover of musical theatre, whose childhood performances included a rousing production of Snow White in The Hall and a heartfelt rendition of Go, Go, Go Joseph in The Living Room.
