Post by @federicabalbi

Seen at Edinburgh Festival Fringe on the 15^th of August 2024

4 stars – miscellaneous drag documentary

Half drag show, half documentary, this performance presents the work of Messy Friends (Gendermess Producions and Brendon Ludlow). They are a group created by Ginava with an innovative idea of drag, where dance, lip-sync, burlesque and classical drag makeup are juxtaposed to puppet-like costumes. These giant beings defy concepts of gender with different weapons, those of humour and imagination. Their presence is a radical affirmation of dreams and nightmares, of the interiority that wins against external judgement and criticism. Some of the costumes are based on a clear concept, for example the one representing bulimia, and are conceived as a way to face them, and somehow dispel them.

In-between the performances, there are projections of extracts of video interviews between Ginava and the other members of Messy Friends, Flynn V, Mary Lamb O’God, Bobby Knox, and Skye Scraper. The videos often function as an introduction to the following piece, adding layers of interpretation to it, and of emotional connection, too. Nonetheless, the performers’ attempt to create a party-like atmosphere results undermined, because the energy level is intermittently brought down by the videos, which feel more as an interruption than as a supplementation.

Ginava’s beautiful costumes become the protagonists of the show. They are original and spectacular, ironic and sometimes desperate. They are distant from the other parts, closer to traditional drag, that leave freedom to the performers to express themselves and are always brilliantly executed. Despite the high quality of each performance, the full show suffers from the rhythm breaks that make audience engagement hard to maintain. As a result, the show feels at times laborious instead of smooth, but reaches joyous peaks during the live exhibitions.

1^st-25^th August; 8.55 pm

Running time: 60 minutes

Venue: Assembly George Square, Piccolo Tent

Tickets and Info: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/messy-friends

Company Website: https://gendermess.com/messyfriends

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyfriendsshow/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gendermess/