Presented by Standard Theatre. Bakehouse Studio Theatre. 21 Feb 2019
When is a monologue not a monologue? Answer: when it is a lecture.
Bob Paisley, fondly remembered for his Bill Clinton Hercules a Fringe or so ago, has donned a brown suit and bow tie, popped a pipe in his pocket, and turned into a somewhat raddled and addled university professor who is giving his last lecture on western civilisation. To that end, he is trying to squeeze in a pressure cooker of topics, beginning with mathematics and the joys pi and ending with European art and the mystery of the Mona Lisa’s smile. Among many things, he has a go at iambic pentameter and why actors spit, sings a sweet wee song with a ukulele, marvels at the human and non-human phenomenon of book reading, sings praise to paragraphs, mocks poets, and in uproarious overkill, gives his expose on the Mona Lisa.
It’s all desperate machine-gun delivery from the fine Kansas actor; a torrent of Brian Parks’ quirky content, directed by John Clancy. It’s one of those things that provokes different laughs and guffaws from different parts of the audience at different times. But everyone laughs at the end, whether they want to or not.
Samela Harris
3 ½ Stars
When: 21 Feb to 2 Mar
Where: Bakehouse Theatre
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
