Camden Fringe Reviews: The Golem & The Ten Commandments

Lindsey
By Lindsey Last edited 175 months ago
Camden Fringe Reviews: The Golem & The Ten Commandments

4monksTen_Commandments.jpg
Four Monks and a Nun
High on the news that our favourite fringe festival's ticket sales for this year are up 250% compared to this point last year with 29 sell out shows so far, we beetled along to the Roundhouse Studio Theatre for an inadvertent double bill of faith themed shows.

Broken Glass Theatre Company's ambitious and seriously approached piece, The Golem, tells the tale of the mythical yet greatly feared phenomenon that haunted the Jewish ghetto of late 19th century Prague and shows the psychic impact such a powerful story can have on a community - especially one so poverty stricken and close knit. Despite a strong central performance the drama never really gripped us and once we registered one of the characters was being played in the style of Russell Brand (spot on) we were a bit detached from the gravity of the thing.

Cheering us up after was Four Monks and a Nun. Were we really about to watch a christian comedy sketch group? Surely it was some kind of satire? Amazingly, no. They're a genuine christian comedy company and - more outrageously - they're funny. A show based on the Ten Commandments is ripe for laughs and their "clean but edgy, thoughtful but not preachy" brand of humour had the audience hooting. Faith aside, the 'respect the Sabbath' "Porta-Church" skit bringing the preacher to your Sunday bedside was sharp, expertly delivered and hilarious and who doesn't love it when a show ends on a brilliant comedy song?

A heads up for today and the weekend: OAPz a musical, hip-hop comedy starring Jean Boht (of Bread fame, remember?) is selling out having featured on BBC London Tonight on Wednesday. Today, Sat, Sun, Mon at 3pm, Etcetera.

The Golem is at the Roundhouse Studio Theatre, tonight at 7.30pm and The Ten Commandments follows at 9pm. Camden Fringe runs until 30th August. All tickets £7.50. Check out other Fringe coverage on Londonist.

Last Updated 14 August 2009