You HAVE to meet the fantastic Rasmatastique! Maria Ansdell’s one-woman performance is a delight from start to finish
Maria Ansdell has the audience in the palm of her hand from start to finish. She switches deftly between a charming collection of ex-boyfriend parodies, displaying impressive vocal and physical acrobatics throughout. Everyone in the audience is personally welcomed into Maria’s performance and soon the room thrums with engagement and laughter. The eccentric parisian compare Rasmatastique is our host, threading together the resurrection of Maria’s exes with humor, bravado and moments of tenderness.
As the first ex – Billy the Playground Pirate – arrived, Maria transformed into an impressively convincing boisterous child, revealing her expansive performance skills. A later introduction of the sleazy Lazarus Valour invited giggly whispers of ‘omg I know a guy just like him’ among the uni students in the audience. All the character changes that followed were thoroughly considered and extremely slick, with each new face that emerges bringing original caricatures to the stage. The audience was frequently in stitches, particularly when Maria invited audience participation and riffed impressively with their unpredictable responses.
There was dance, mime, song, and masterful clowning in this multidimensional cabaret, and every moment brimmed with emotion. The costumes were hilarious and brilliantly navigated, and the potential of the performance venue was maximised by Maria’s crowdwork. While predominantly funny, Closure Cabaret encourages uplifting musings on the importance of self worth, making it stand out from some of the purely slapstick comedy the fringe offers. As I was leaving, I heard several people turn to their friends and say how much they enjoyed it- I was among them, excited by what I’d just seen. I will certainly be keeping my eyes on Maria and you should too; come to the Closure Cabaret, you won’t regret it!
Reviewed by Ella Thornburn on 06/08/25
Show Listing: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/closure-cabaret
LISTINGS INFORMATION:
Venue: theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall
Dates: 1–9 August 2025
Time: 18:05 (50 mins)
Ticket prices: £12 / concessions £10
Fringe box office: 0131 226 0000 / http://www.edfringe.com
Suitable for 16+