The Bubble Magician. The Jade Monkey. 15 Feb 2015

 

The most magical thing that Doctor Bubble does is to introduce an audience to Iulia Benze.

 

She goes by the clown name of Milkshake and, in harlequin pants and jacket with a big silly wig, she does the audience warmup, she plays the foil, the provocateur, the bubble monster, the cheer squad and, at all times, the clown.

 

This actress is one terrific clown, a clown who draws on ancient European roots of clowning, but yet is a very modern clown with fantastic voice training and considerable dance skills.

 

With such a sensational sidekick, Doctor Bubbles, aka Kurt Murray, really could just walk through a performance.

 

But the pair has worked hard to bulk out the simple business of bubble-blowing with a proper little story line and a lot of shtick.

 

So it comes to pass that Doctor Bubbles has a sad face (well, a white paper bag over his head) and is trapped in a soulless urban life of work and sleep. He hates bubbles and he hates happiness. He is a miserable grouch.

 

The set is a big, fabric book-fold of lovely backdrops, the pages of which are turned according to need. So he plods to work in long-toed, patent leather clown shoes and he sleeps vertically leaning against the appropriate page of the book.

 

Then, one day Milkshake steals his sad face and embarks upon a mission to make him love bubbles and life like the rest of us - for she has established with much audience shouting, that everyone reallllly loves bubbles.

 

The show has been devised for a 3-12 age span, so the performers throw in some dance and constrained acrobatics. The Jade venue is absolutely stunning, but the stage is smallish. A smidgeon of juggling is attempted by grumpy old Doctor Bubbles. He is having such a hard time finding the joy of things, so much so that Milkshake almost gives up on him.

 

But not quite.  Bubbles get flowing, from small controlled ones to huge rope sweeps of bubble masses. Audience children who earlier had promised not to run and break the bubbles are allowed to do so, albeit they have been doing it all the time despite the vows. Doctor Bubbles gets his mojo back - with help from the children sticking coloured discs onto the velcro stripes of his coat.

 

And the grand finale is a soaking soapy celebration.

 

Samela Harris

 

When: 13 Feb to 15 Mar

Where: The Jade Monkey

Bookings:  adelaidefringe.com.au or Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.