Review – Fine and Dandy

Let me tell you about what a glorious evening I had last night! I went to King’s Head Theatre and I saw “Fine and Dandy“. What costumes, what music, what talent!

Introduced in the atmosphere by Mathew Betts‘ live playing piano, the unmistakable vibes of the bold and scandalous era flood your senses. Who are these misfits and what are they doing to my brain? It’s alright “A little of what you fancy does you good!”. What follows is the unravelling of the story of Ernest, the lovely, gullible jew. He loses his family, ends up in Blackpool, Liverpool and the New World in a aray of mishaps. Dani Singer portrays Ernest with such empathy and loveliness, you can’t stop rooting and feeling for him.

Sue Frumin, the writer and LGBTQ campaigner, creates the perfect platform for exploring how the outcasts of society survive in the cruel and limited world of the 19th century. “I can’t protect this one, is too strange” coming from Ernest’s mum (Jo Sutherland) when he was born, says it all really.

This mesmerising show with its quips, teases, well represented typologies and songs, is such good representation of what’s wrong with society. I love a show like this, that has heart, brains and beauty.

But the best part of Fine and Dandy is the cast. A tighter knit ensemble or should I say troupe, I have never seen before. They all insanely talented, switching between genders, characters, accents and even anatomy (how can Anca Vaida’s snake make me believe with no hesitation in it’s ondulations?) with such ease. The singing (wow Tamsin Omond).

Also another fantastic feat is the use of space and props, so clever and creative, borns great collaboration between the actors. Original and illustrative of those times perhaps too when they had to make do.

The direction from Lil Warren is impeccable, Sarah Warren‘s Scottish Lulu is fantastic (the Scottish really do have the best insults) Anca’s ringmaster and Mr Midori portrayal is delightful and perfectly stereotyped.

What a show!

Go and have a woonderful night out!