Wednesday 4 April 2012

CAMP

 


 CAMP

 Roundhouse March 31st 2012

 

Written by Sonita Dowd

Almost ten years after being a student himself at the Roundhouse Scottee returns with CAMP as part of CircusFest. CAMP is a nostalgic look back on variety shows and cult TV classics rolled through sequins and thrust upon the audience, with performances from some of London's most revered and celebrated avant garde artists. However Scottee insists this is a show for 'normal' people and your mum's even welcome along too.

As the audience filed into the Studio Theatre a series of tongue and cheek adverts played from faux shopping channel VSS “Frugal Fruit; plastic fruit that can be enjoyed in packed lunches over and over” and “BRUUUSH – The three in one toilet, hair and tooth brush”

Scottee then graced the stage in a gold sequin number with nonchalant dance duo Japans people to the sound of Copacabana, and broke into a HI-NRG dance routine. Suitably hot and sweaty he then introduced himself to the audience and gave a run-down on the evenings events and a dressing down to the Roundhouse for not putting him in the main space. He then explained the first act was included for the soul aim of appealing to the Arts Council for funding, for the great work he does. The audience was in stitches and keen to see why Scottee puts up being placed anywhere but the main stage, when he should be on telly darling...

The first act was from Marisa Carnesky’s Finishing School, a girl wrapped in bandages and wearing a red wig swanned onto the stage. Flung herself whole heartedly into some interpretive dance and then unwrapped her mummified self before falling to the floor to a rapture of applause.

Scottee flounced back onto the stage and explained that he would be taking on the good work Jimmy Savile was unable to complete before his death in Jim'll Didn't Scottee Will. The audience then met lucky contestant Holly who read her letter to Scottee before being whisked off perform as a member of Buck Fizz!

Up next was Aunty Myra's fun show with the fabulously dry Myra Dubois. A series of poorly executed tricks that you love to hate. However, she explained “It's hard getting work as a children's entertainer with the name Myra” and went on to explain that times have changed. She used to “dance around, and take my clothes of slowly to a vintage track, it's called burlesque now”, the audience swung there heads back laughing. She performed a short ventriloquist act and ended it with a no-show rabbit in a hat trick all done with the smallest amount of enthusiasm and crude jokes, we were all sad the fun show was over.

While all the outfit changes happened the audience was treated to some obvious and now predictable snippets from the very untalented winner of Bagdad's got talent.

Scottee was back on stage to present spoof TV gem game-show Blockbusters. Complete with flashing screen and over-excited audience participant Mark, Scottee hurled a series of frantic questions at him. High on excitement Mark accepted his prize of Julian Clary's
How to be a real man and stood on the stage until Scottee engaged in an awkward farewell double-cheek showbiz air kiss.

Jim'll Didn't, Scottee Will contestant winner Holly is welcomed back to the stage with Johnny Woo as Jay Aston, they mime, they dance, we clapped...Scottee really made a dream come true.

Up next was Dickie Beau with a mime sketch from the wonderful late Kenneth Williams as he talked about performances he had been involved in and conversations he'd had with other cast members. This was absolutely amazing, not a single word or camp mannerism lost in the mime that lasted over 5 minutes. The audience was transfixed on the musings of Kenneth via Dickie Beau.

Scottee again graced the stage and treated us to a wonderful rendition of 90's pop band All Saints' song
Never Ever, I enjoyed this so much, its the only way I ever want to hear it again. This was the closest moment to 'proper cabaret' in the entire show. He then re-appeared in a nipple cut out boiler suit complete with red balloon breasts, and followed the smooth voice commands of Tom Jones' You can leave your hat on.

Go over there, turn on the light. No, all the lights.
Come back here, stand on the chair. Ooh, baby, that's right!
Raise your arms in the air, now shake 'em.

Johnny Woo performed a dance montage of the daily working grind, from AM to PM with all the daily annoyances thrown in for good measure. This didn't really work in the format of the show, a shame as Johnny never usually disappoints.

Finally a pop hit we're all embarrassed we still remember the words to
Spice Girls; Who do you think you are. Scottee belted this out full blast with backup dancers the Japans people still managing to keep teenage I-don't-care-about-anything straight faces.

A variety show of variety shows, an amazing night of camp-tastic cheesy nostalgia.

With four more shows still to come including the Bourgeois & Maurice, Ryan Styles and Russella you HAVE to watch CAMP.

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