The Piccolo Tent is dimly lit, and shrouded in a thin layer of smoke. Four eclectically dressed men take the stage, one in a goat-minatour-esque costume, and another dressed as a Victorian, or perhaps as Will Turner from Pirates of the Caribbean. The mood is set – bizarre and macabre.
The iDiot Circus is a dark cabaret-inspired band, with brilliantly clever original songs. It promises a tour of existential dread and death, with songs about the murder of loved ones, lonely deaths, and of course, who could forget, le petit mort. The oddly upbeat homages to death, such as "Madame la Guillotine" have an exciting quality to them – staccato notes on the piano brighten the mood, but the words betray the darkness in this comedy. However, if you're looking for a truly comedic look on death, then, despite a few laughs here and there, this is not the show for you. It is dramatic, dark, theatrical, loud, and frenetic.
Whilst the songs themselves were different and fascinating in content, the type of music generally remained the same for the hour, bar a few moments. At times they brought out their young technician to join them on stage with a guitar, which brought a fresh bout of exuberance and livelihood to the performance. The penultimate song should also be highlighted for its beauty, where the charisma of Nick Court, the leader singer, truly shone through. He noted that the song was about "the worst kind of death of all – a living death". It was for those who drink to escape, or stumble through life veiled in sadness; it was mournful, and it was powerful.
The iDiot Circus have a musical gift which is what made their performance so special. Whilst it could do with some more transitions and gaps between songs, or comedic moments, it delivered well on the macabre cabaret aspect.
Read our interview with lead singer Nick Court here
For tickets and more information, visit edfringe.com
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