‘A sweet surrender to ultimate daftness.’
‘The Hypochondriac’ comes to the Edinburgh Fringe from the collaboration of Edinburgh-based Rebrand Theatre and New Celts Productions, and is adapted by Ross Gillan from the French comedy-ballet play ‘Le Malade Imaginaire’ by Molière and directed by Alistair Dempster. This satire comedy follows Argan (Logan McKerron), a wealthy hypochondriac, who is engrossed in his delusions of illness and will do absolutely anything to make sure he is within easy access to a doctor – even trying to arrange his daughter, Angelique, to marry a doctor for his own selfish desires. Chaos ensues as multiple wacky characters are brought into the fold, adding hilarity at every corner.
From the get-go, the actors’ energy was infectious; McKerron’s uptight portrayal of the eccentric Argan delivers great comedic timing alongside the other actors, who portray multiple other characters flawlessly. This almost constant changing of characters was impressive to watch, every actor shapeshifted into the character they were portraying in that moment, which further enhanced the performance’s comedic effectiveness. All of the characters were extremely believable, each character was distinguishable, no matter how long or short of a time they were on-stage for. Additionally, all of the characters were well-blocked by Dempster, and were visible on stage even when a lot of actors were up at one time.
‘The Hypochondriac’ presents a daft, humorous time that is evocative of Scottish pantomime, and feels like a great addition to the Fringe. Easy to follow along with and really makes you feel at home, staying true to the fashion of Scottish comedy. This reviewer recommends this performance if you’re looking for a fun and light-hearted time where you can surrender yourself to ultimate daftness. The show runs until the 28th August at The Space on the Mile venue in Edinburgh.
LISTINGS INFORMATION:
Tickets available here: https://www.edfringe.com/
Venue: The Space on the Mile (Space 3)
Dates: 8th (then every other even day of August) until the 28th.
Time: 15:05 – 16:15
Ticket prices: £13.50 / Concessions £9.50 / Family £9.00
Fringe box office: 0131 226 0000 / www.edfringe.com
Suitable for 16+ (Guideline)