Jill's Tupperware Party @ Underbelly Cowgate
Jill's Tupperware Party, a cultish fever dream of campy domesticity and MLM-themed horror, might be the wackiest thing you'll see at the Fringe – and it's all the better for it
Oh, hi Jill! Have you met Jill and Jill? At Jill’s Tupperware Party, you’re in the company of friends, and they’re all called Jill! Oddly enough, this bizarre common ground provided by performers Coral Bevan and Ricky Hunt — in the form of a name tag bearing the name 'Jill', of course — allows the audience to shed any discomfort at entering into a Fringe show that’s so blatantly absurd from the get-go. What’s most impressive, besides Bevan and Hunt’s masterful character work, is how quickly everyone gets into the spirit of things.
Speaking of spirits, there’s something not quite right about this 80th anniversary celebration of Tupperware… At first, everything is going just as it should! Jill (Coral Bevan) is King Tup for the 80th year in a row, having sold the most units once again. But then it’s discovered that Jill has not, in fact, sold the most units — one of you Jills has! But beware if you do dare outsell her, because it’s not long before she’s out for revenge. You’ve cost her her celebratory 100-hand massage, after all.
As we know, with the power of Tupperware, you can keep your food flesh – oh, they mean fresh! Or do they? It shouldn’t take long for all us Jills in the audience to realise that something is really quite off… From the eerie hum of the microwave to the frantic reverie of the Jills towards the almighty Jill, the glowing-eyed owner of the company, there is certainly something rotten under this show’s candy-coloured lid.
The cultish and at-times cannibalistic fervour which ensues transforms the show’s campy 1980s domestic aesthetic into a twisted MLM-themed horror film. The only way to survive in Bevan and Hunt’s uncanny world is to commit to the bit with the same fervour as them – and it really is the most fun that way. Their glee only increases as things get weirder, and it’s truly infectious. Don’t worry, just enjoy being Jill. You’re in the company of immensely talented friends.
Jill's Tupperware Party, Underbelly Cowgate (Belly Laugh), until 30 Aug (not 17), 2.35pm, £13-15