FRINGEWORLD 2017 – Virgin Bloody Mary (5 stars)

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Review by Laura Money

Gregorian chant fills the air, a lone figure clad in a white dress and blue cloak complete with halo sits praying onstage, as people file in, she quickly jumps up to greet them in a most unique way. Firing spitballs at everyone doesn’t put them offside, rather creates a moment of anticipation as each new audience member becomes the unwitting punchline of a running gag. Nadia Collins is the Virgin Mary herself. Her eyes twinkle roguishly as she looks on in bemusement at the show opening she has created.

Collins is the queen of mime, from offering rice cakes and wine, to a whole picnic, Mary is the perfect host. All of this is completed in relative silence – Collins is a natural clown, her facial expressions enough for the audience to understand what they are required to do. A phone call from God (the ringtone ‘What if God Were One of Us?’ is a moment of pure genius) sets up the story but be warned – this is not the story we all know and love! Collins acts out Mary’s baby-making efforts in a sketch that will etch itself onto your mind. Her miming and buffoonery in this particular scene are a stand-out, from her hand and arm getting sore, to checking her watch, to performing Chinese burns, and completing a Rubix cube Collins speaks to all women out there (and probably quite a few men) and there are knowing laughs when her invisible partner falls asleep and snores loudly next to her.

Of course, this baby is no ordinary one – it’s Jesus…or is it? After what I can only assume is a journey into the uterus – complete with miner’s headlamp – Collins creates the sperm of the devil, which takes over from the halo-clad holy sperm. Afterwards Collins’ Mary is pregnant and happy about being single, having escaped a rather awkward one-night-stand. It’s Collins physical exuberance that makes the show. She puts her body on the line and her face is as rubbery and versatile as a mask, hilariously acting out goofy happiness, uncertainty, and even fear and pain with aplomb.

In a twist on the original tale, Virgin Bloody Mary elicits more than enough belly laughs as Collins excels in physical comedy.

 

When: 8th – 12th February 2017 | 6:30pm/8:30pm

Where: Lazy Susan’s Comedy Den | The Brisbane Hotel | North Side | PERTH

Tickets: $11 – $16

Info: Duration 50 minutes | Recommended 18+ | WA Artist

Link: https://fringeworld.com.au/whats_on/event/virgin_bloody_mary/4905a248-e38a-4f39-a16c-e481be0c6b8a/