NAF: BUTLERS AND BRIDESMAIDS

Complete spoof makes enjoyable National Arts Festival escapism. (Review by Caroline Smart)

If your head is spinning from seeing festival productions that are highly thought-provoking or perhaps too obscure, relevant or cryptic for immediate absorption and you crave a bit of fun and nonsense, then take yourself off to The Highlander to see Butlers and Bridesmaids presented by the Slick ‘n Sleeve company. This is the third in the successful “Butler” series and, judging by the audience response at the performance I attended, looks set to be as much of a festival favourite as its predecessors.

Written and directed by Justin Wilkinson who also appears with Evelyn Ball, Andrew Roux and Karen Visser, Butlers and Bridesmaids is set in a 16th Century Castle. And, like every well-behaved ancient castle, it has its ghosts … and, in this case, its demons.

The storyline is very basic – a young bridegroom-to-be is invited to spend the weekend at the home of his future bride in order to meet her family. The bridesmaids are also invited but there’s a problem here as they fight like cat and dog and the bride’s mother is more attached to the bottle than is healthy. The butler tries to keep things under control but the French maid is a considerable distraction and the French chef is wont to crack inappropriate jokes. The best man seems the sanest of the lot!

Just when it’s all getting out of hand, that’s when the fun starts and it’s now up to the audience to decide how the action progresses. Occasionally, the performers freeze and the audience is asked to vote, by way of presenting either the yellow or blue side of their programme, which of two scenarios should follow. This certainly keeps the cast on their toes because any number of permutations could arise.

Good use was made of the small stage with shiny burgundy drapes, a tablecloth and chair covers which presents an air of opulence. I was really impressed by the costume changes, there must be an extremely efficient wardrobe set-up behind the scene. It’s only at the curtain call that you realise just how large – or small – the cast is. The doubling in characters is very good – one of them completely fooled me, I was certain there was a fifth cast member! – Caroline Smart