Enter the Dragon – weird and wonderful but David Vass wants more like this

Posted on 19th November 2018

Enter the Dragons – review

In what amounted to a significant gear change for the Corn Hall, Abigail Dooley and Emma Edwards presented a short, sharp shock of a show that was funny, provocative, and challenging. With a combination of clowning, costumes and cultural references, the duo explored the place of the 50-something woman in today’s image obsessed society.

Unapologetically polemical, yet impishly self-aware, these two gifted comedians cast off the cardigan of invisibility (and everything else at one point) to defiantly resist what was is expected from women of certain age, not least what they expect of themselves. This was a loopy, forth wall-busting pantomime that galloped along with increasing wildness, as they rummaged through the dressing up box to present an engaging series of comedy routines. The scattergun delivery and episodic structure meant that not all the really wacky stuffed worked – they were at their best, and most poignant, when underplaying the humour – but the show was consistently inventive and thought-provoking.

Full marks must go to the Corn Hall for programming so adventurously. The show may not have packed out the house, but it was enthusiastically received by the brave souls tempted by this weird and wonderful world – so more like this, please.

By David Vass