★★★★
Adelaide Fringe. Le Cascadeur, Garden Of Unearthly Delights. 16 Feb 20
Here’s a Fringe show which has been a massive success for over 15 years. It rather proves the point that a good idea and some talent is pretty much all you need.
The Amazing Drumming Monkeys are (unsurprisingly) neither amazing nor monkeys, but they are Bongo and Kilko, adding a girl monkey to the mix for the first time. But they’re clever, turning a simple idea into marketing gold, making the most out of every opportunity. The kids love ‘em, especially the audience participation parts of the show, and there are many such parts.
Handing out 100 drums so everyone can drum along is part of the fun, and takes only a short time when the kids are keen… what takes longer, as it turns out, is the attempts needed for Percy the Penguin to dive into his pool to retrieve a discarded plastic bag. This is an example of a great value-add to the show – an environmental message the kids can get behind – and a good way to involved everyone in the event during the many countdowns.
A similar device (theatrically speaking) is used when it comes to getting Froggie to jump into the pool, and this takes a very great deal of time and effort, not to mention more audience participation in the form of James who is enlisted to move the pool into the correct spot.
The Amazing Drumming Monkeys is a great family-friendly show. It moves along and does not overstay its welcome in any way. Highly recommended and endorsed by the kids, aged four to nine.
Alex Wheaton
When: 16 Feb to 15 Mar
Where: Garden Of Unearthly Delights
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
