An ambitious and original double bill
The double-bill of “Flesh” and “Deacon Brodie” cover tales from Edinburgh’s history, with a contemporary twist and musical numbers.
In “Flesh”, the first performance of the evening, we meet Burke and Hare, notorious in the 1820s for their provision of cadavers to anatomists, albeit ‘helping’ some on their path. Over 6 scenes, and 9 original songs, we meet the pair (played by Jeremy Fraser and Justin Skelton), and their partners Mag (Mhairi Steel), and Nell (Alison Henry, who also directed the performance). They create a plot to keep the supply of bodies coming, dreaming of a life in America, until it all comes crashing down. The script is peppered with modern day references (AirBnBs in Edinburgh is particularly topical) which was a nice touch, although I think some of the earlier ones were a bit too subtle for the audience.
The musical numbers were a mix of stage musical type numbers and those of a rockier edge and a smattering of 80s power ballads. Alison Henry’s voice was strong throughout, but as the performance went on, and voices warmed up, the vocal performances across the cast improved too. It was a great move to have the cast mic’d up too, although I felt some of the bass notes were lost a little in the sound system. “Sailing to America” was the strongest all-cast number, but “Irrelevant” sung by Justin Skelton was a surprising hit.
There are a couple of venue limitations which may not have been a factor elsewhere – I would recommend sitting near to the front as the stage is low, so any action when the characters are seated can be lost if you’re not able to see past the rest of the audience.
In “Deacon Brodie” (the titlular character played by Scott Aitchison), we hear the story of the roguish man who had a secret life of crime and women, along his well respected life. Over 12 scenes and 8 songs, we see how he plans ‘the big one’ robbery and his downfall. Again, Alison’s voice shone as tavern-owner Meg, but the duet of “William” between Clare Cowan and Alexa Hill was well balanced, and the accordion playing in “Sometimes You Let Your Friends Down” added an extra element to the show.
If I had to pick, I think I preferred the traditional storytelling in Deacon Brodie, and it felt a bit more natural fit for the cast, but as partners, they complemented each other well.
Clearly a huge effort has been made to bring these shows to life, and to the Fringe, as a true amateur production, complete with comprehensive programme. Although you can choose to see these shows separately, I would recommend seeing them back to back, as it adds an extra dimension to the experience.