Putting the camp in campaign: Jessica Durand gives a riotous ride into the world of fanfiction, Downtown Abbey and WW1
Over the top on one hand is a story about WW1, the brutality soldiers faced in grim impossibly large and slow battlefields resembling hell. On the other hand it’s a really really really funny and camp self-insert fan faction story about Jessica Durand finding her kinky lover Ms Trunchbull (yes from Matilda), featuring the characters of Downtown Abbey, Kermit the Frog and more. It’s ridiculous, it’s hilarious from start to finish and if the term “fan fiction” isn’t an immediate turn off you should see this without reading another word.
Jessica Durand has written a thoroughly funny and welcoming show that is a love letter to a much maligned space of the internet that fan fiction dwells in. She beds us all in with a rare use of an actually funny slideshow in comedy, and a brief live reading of a particularly interesting fanfiction involving Kermit, a Downton Abbey character and kidnapping kinks. This intro easily won over any stragglers in the audience, and had rambunctious amounts of laughter filling the room. Once the meat of the show starts – you know you’re in for a wild time.
Complete with costume changes, guest appearances and occasional bits of medical mystery, its a rollercoaster story that demands you not take it too seriously. As long as you’re open to the insanity, gay love triangles, and learning more Downtown abbey plot than any other fringe show its guaranteed laughs. But approach it with cynicism and you’ll lock yourself out of having any of its utterly silly fun.
Jessica is engaging both as a storyteller, and as a friend guiding you through their obsession. She makes it easy to get interested in her niches and radiates all her obsessive joy through every punchline, costume change and side track. Making audience participation not a terrifying thing to partake in is always praise worthy especially in the crazy context of someone having to read from a script as wild as this one.
I can’t recommend this to everyone, but I think if you at all enjoy camp, fandom culture, tumblr, twilight, rocky horror culture and comedy Jessica Durand will make you laugh more than most can, like hanging out with a crazy and lovable best friend. I wouldn’t trade this shows absurdity and commitment to its niche audience for wider appeal, its part of what made this feel like a family gathering of nerds.
See Jessica Durand: Over The Top every night until the 24th (inclusive) at 6:55pm at Underbelly Cowgate
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/jessica-durand-over-the-top