Bebe Cave @ Pleasance Dome
With a winning combination of lo-fi charm and high ambition, Bebe Cave's CHRISTBRIDE is a Monty Python-meets-Clueless medieval romp
“This is a real genuine fact I discovered while researching the show that's just too weird to not include!” This quote may be the perfect synopsis for Bebe Cave’s absurd, historically dense CHRISTBRIDE.
Arcane in setting but totally fresh in spirit, think Monty Python and the Holy Grail starring the cast of Clueless; the show is anchored in the juxtaposition of classic noughties romcom troupes and the violence of medieval patriarchy. Opening with Bathilda Bigbum in the town of Littledick, you’d be forgiven for being apprehensive about the level of comedy these names suggest, but once you enter into her world, Cave’s the perfect tour guide.
Cave has fashioned a one-woman show that feels authentically dishevelled and ramshackled. Yes, the costume changes are messy, the accents are slipping all over and Cave’s own laughter gets the better of her as she breaks constantly, but somehow all of these foibles don’t detract from but enhance the show. The beauty of CHRISTBRIDE is in its lacklustre execution; as the seams come undone we are left with something that feels truly fringe. The low budget/high vision combination is so exciting, and despite the hurdles it’s impossible not to smile as Cave fumbles her way into a jumper or stacks wigs upon hats upon wigs.
The scope of CHRISTBRIDE does get in the way at times. The ever-changing accents blend a few too many characters together, so you’re never too sure which horny nun is next; the plot is slightly overblown; subtext is discarded entirely. But amid this choreographed delirium, Cave anchors the entire show with sheer unrelenting energy.
It's a performance made to launch a career, a titular milestone in a comedian’s trajectory. In this small, cramped room, it feels like we’re all privy to something special. The jokes are there in spades and nobody can accuse her of not giving it 100%, to the extent that maybe a dose of nuance could be a valued tonic to the theatrical cascade of overt caricatures, but Bebe Cave’s CHRISTBRIDE is profoundly and utterly charming.
Bebe Cave: CHRISTBRIDE, Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome), until 24 Aug, 5.40pm, sold out, returns only