Review: ADELAIDE FRINGE 2016: PROHIBITION Was Never this Much Fun Before

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Wednesday 17th February 2016

Prohibition is a brand new show premiering at Gluttony, in the Speakeasy, its very own custom built venue. Created by Motley and Mac, Tim Motley and Patrick McCullagh, the performance is set in 1931, during the prohibition. McCullagh explains this at the very beginning, as well as showing how people managed to get around the laws. Motley is in character throughout as American Psychic Detective, Dirk Darrow, who makes Sam Spade look like a klutz, or is it the other way around? You go really must go along and decide for yourself.

Dick Darrow takes us along on an investigation, turning up from time to time to update us with another instalment. He also has some extra surprises along the way. McCullagh is a real storyteller, who has surely kissed the Blarney Stone, but there is more to him than there first appears, too. Both of them are skilled magicians, but that you'll find out about when you see the show.

We are reminded that we are in the thirties by Adelaide favourite, Sidonie Henbest, who really knows how to sell a song. Looking a million dollars and dressed to kill in a bright blue ankle length dress, split to the thigh, she made the songs her own with marvellous interpretations. Maybe Mama will be good to you.

Argentinean football juggler, Victor Rubilar, has all the right moves and even ends up juggling with five footballs. You just have to see why he is a five-time Guinness world record holder.

Acrobats Caz Walsh and Chris Carlos each have their speciality solo acts, as well as working as a duo, offering a varied range of performances from his balancing on a precarious tower of wooden chairs, to her slipping underneath masses of hula hoops being thrown at her in rapid succession and ending with dozens of them spinning around her.

There is also Dado Show, hilarious as a hunchback who is surely related to Igor and Quasimodo, but a little less sane. There is probably also some distant relationship to Loki, god of chaos. The laughter began right at his entries, and didn't stop until well after his departures. His antics had everybody falling for this quirky character, and you will, too.

The total of all this is a show that made me miss my last bus, and the Adelaide transport system is another story, but it was well worth the price of that taxi fare. There was no let up during the cavalcade of marvellous performances, any one of the artists being more than capable of presenting a solo production, and each leaving the audience wanting more. With every performer in the company being a top class act, this should be on your Fringe list this year. It was a highlight for me, and a great way to celebrate my birthday. Do yourself a favour and make a date with Prohibition but, don't worry, you can sneak in an alcoholic drink.

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