Jonathan Oldfield @ Pleasance Courtyard
Based loosely on the childhood game of the same name, Exquisite Corpse is an extravaganza of utterly out-there character work by Jonathan Oldfield
The basic concept of Exquisite Corpse is as follows: members of the audience will be asked to draw either a head, a torso, or a pair of legs, later to be brought together at random to form an original, usually rather strange-looking, character. From here, we plunge into the depths of Jonathan Oldfield’s vast imagination. A beginning like this allows Oldfield to bring out the uninhibited creativity of childhood in his audience, getting them more than on board for the madness which will unfold over the next hour.
Unless it was not obvious already, Exquisite Corpse is a show which makes frequent use of audience participation. Now, perhaps we were just lucky to be part of a comedically gifted audience, but this aspect of the show is highly generative and really puts Oldfield through his paces as a comedian. There’s a sparkling tension in the air as he considers his audience’s hideous progeny before it takes form. There’s a lot of laughter to be had merely from watching Oldfield squint incredulously at a pair of hastily-scribbled knobbly knees before he decides what sort of person they belong to.
It’s not all on us though! The audience input is playfully interwoven with a cast of bizarre characters which Oldfield has crafted in advance; though at times it’s hard to tell how much of the performance is pre-planned and how much is improvised. Some of these characters are weaker than others, but for each character that doesn’t tickle you, there’s always another one waiting around the corner which will have you howling with laughter.
In spite of a broken arm, Oldfield’s energy is so high that an audience member could easily exhaust themselves trying to keep up with him. His jokes are constant and, at times, frantic, leaving you constantly guessing what he’s going to get up to next. Truly, it’s a show where anything could happen. With an imagination this wild, Oldfield has the potential to become something really quite exquisite.
Jonathan Oldfield: Exquisite Corpse, Pleasance Courtyard (Below), until 30 Aug (not 17), 9.40pm, £13.50-15.50