The Three Little Pigs @ Assembly One

The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf is a staple of many a bedtime story, but this production, brought to the festival as part of the Assembly’s South African season, isn’t the fairytale of your childhood.

Two little pigs from the Major Crimes Unit are found brutally slaughtered, leading to the questioning of the third brother by a duo of investigators desperate to take down the corrupt streak running deep through the animal police department. As further witnesses are brought in for questioning, it becomes clear that the pigs’ age old nemesis may be behind it all.

The trio of performers (James Cairns, Rob van Vuuren and Albert Pretorius) completely throw themselves into their primal parts; grunting, squealing and leaping around the stage like dogs begging for treats. Some characters work better than others, such as the dedicated Doberman police deputy. Initially, it’s a confusing experience but once you get past the initial urges to giggle, it becomes a gripping metaphor of corruption and greed, albeit one that’s stretched a tad too thin by the end.

The plot is stock crime-gangster fare with a primal twist. Chock full of twists, turns and backstabbing, it doesn’t entirely come together and is often less interesting than the characters populating the world. The humour is suitably dark and several jokes seem South Africa-specific, but it doesn’t disrupt enjoyment for the international Fringe audiences. Equal parts Reservoir Dogs and Animal Farm, this production is the kind of show you could only see at the Fringe. Weirdly, it works.