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Be prepared to ruin your childhood memories of bubbles. Summary
Rating
Good
Despite being exactly what it says on the tin, Bubble Show for Adults Only is an outrageously surprising show that was entirely unexpected: I’m still trying to wrap my head around what happened. It is a wild ride of a performance, but extremely enjoyable, with small-scale acrobatics, bubbles, mild nudity and flames – what more could you want?
The show can only be described as some kind of erotic fever dream, which will have you waking up thinking ‘did that just happen?’ I watched the captivating bubble artistry by Iulia Benze and Kurt Murray with childish fascination; the vast amount of shapes that can be created from a little soap and water is incredible. So many ways to explore the bubbles are shown, including a beautiful shadow puppetry sequence with a tornado happening inside a bubble. This was a magical moment, showcasing the talent of the performers.
The phrase ‘childish fascination’ applies sparingly: as mentioned before, this is an adult play. Be aware, the bubbles are not exempt from taking part in the adult themes. Two round bubbles next to each other can represent many body parts – and that’s all I’ll say on that.
The surreal nature of the show gives a level of freedom to both the audience and actors alike. There is a hint of a storyline running through; a relationship between a man and a woman, almost like caricatures as they meet, have an affair and fall into married life. It’s almost poetic, mirroring the way the bubbles are floating around on their own but can join together and become one. The characters are just as absurd as the play, only growing more so as it develops.
At times, it feels as though the overtly sexual moments may have been used as a shock factor to override the fact that it is difficult to make a captivating show of exclusively bubbles for an hour or so. It is humorous, but also at times feels slightly pointless. Without the storyline and shock factor it would have fallen short of three stars.
That being said, what else would you expect from an adult show? It definitely delivered on that front; it was raunchy and outrageous and hilarious. The high energy from the performers made the play very watchable, if with a grimace of horror at times, especially as it completely devolved. It feels as though analysis of this show is futile: it’s there to be enjoyed with the raw initial reactions. It is undoubtably a great way to spend a Saturday night – but probably have a drink beforehand.
Produced by: Bubble Laboratory Theatre Company
Lighting Design by: Jason Bovaird
Bubble Show for Adults Only played at Barons Court Theatre until 24 September. For further information and new dates, check the theatre company website here.
