Fringe review: CHARMING, Greenside @ George Street

Photo credit: Richard Eyers

Michael Blaha and Nigel Miles-Thomas present two shows within five minutes walk of each other at George Street this year, and we commend their effort. The most interesting part of Charming, a new comedy by Annie Lux, was seeing Miles-Thomas as Prince Charming just one hour after seeing him as Sherlock Holmes. It is part of the joy and lottery of picking Fringe shows that create these moments. We have nothing but admiration for the producers and performers who make that commitment to the Fringe. At least it gave Nigel a chance to show his acting range in two very different roles.

Sadly though, Lux’s script is laboured and lacks the sharpness and wit required to make it work. Sondheim’s Into the Woods brilliantly explores an alternative world after the famous fairytales and this attempts the same idea. Cinderella wants a divorce from the ageing Prince Charming stuck in his ways and sends her fairy godmother to set out seventeen requests to put life back into their marriage. She still wants to live happily ever after…just not together. She now prefers the rat who drove her pumpkin carriage to the ball!

When Charming turns his charm to seduce the Fairy Godmother, we could hardly believe it but it is an alternative fairytale after all! Then when Lady Bracknell turns up with a handbag as the wicked stepmother, it all gets even more bizarre. There is something in the idea of a spoof parallel world to Cinderella but the writing is not sharp or witty enough, the comedy is feeble, and the playing lacks depth. It seemed a very long fifty minutes, sadly.

One star

Reviewed by: Nick Wayne

Charming plays at Edinburgh Festival Fringe until 23 August, with further info here.