Decibels, Paradise in The Vault (The Annexe) – Review

Pros: Elaine Fellows is a natural born comedian.

Cons: Although funny, the episode with the blind rabbit seems to divert from the underlying theme.

She likes to think that she would have had a lot in common with her dad too, but he passed away when she was really young and she doesn’t remember much about him. Most of what she knows is what other people told her or wrote on the condolences cards –such as how, as a baby, she would cry really loud until her father took her in his arms and told her “Hey, ‘decibels’, stop crying…”.

Now, as a grown up, she’s sure that this amazing man is still watching over her, whilst she faces all the highs and lows of adult life. Going to university is not as much fun as many people think, and leaving the countryside to move to London is not as exciting as her mother believes. Everything in London is busier, too expensive and harder to navigate than back home.

Paradoxically, with so many people around, making friends is even more difficult, let alone finding love. Lacking real companions, Stephanie is forced to rely on her flatmate when she finds herself in trouble – not because she trusts her, but because she’s the only person who might actually pick up the phone.

Fellows is a natural born comedian, and her anecdotes are full of laugh-out-loud moments; but when we’re fully engaged with her clumsy ways of growing up, and comfortable in our seats, she drops us from a great height. Turning from comedy to drama, her partially-autobiographical work delves into the challenges of losing a parent at a young age and living with the sad awareness that there aren’t many first-hand memories to cling onto.

Author: Elaine Fellows
Director: Grace Taylor
Producer: Elaine Fellows
Box Office: 0131 510 0022
Booking Link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/decibels
Booking Until: 26th August 2018