Fringe Review: THE JOLLY FISHERMAN, Buttercup at Underbelly George Square
Photo credit: ChewBoy Productions
‘Come on Eileen’ is playing, a scattering of barstools pepper the stage, a dartboard hangs in the middle - you’re home. You’re home in Barking, in the Jolly Fisherman pub and you’re ready to chart ten years of its life. Kick It Anywhere’s The Jolly Fisherman follows teenaged Alan and Amir as times change over a decade of their lives on the street that they both live.
Barrelling onto the stage - after four cokes in the pub - is thirteen-year-old Alan (Alex Hill). The Jolly Fisherman is his second home and he gives us a quick rundown of the place: his dad’s three best mates (nicknamed of course), the barmaid Lil, the carpets with stains on them and the centrepiece: the dartboard. Whilst they met on the bus to school, it’s around darts that Alan and Amir (Jonny Khan) cement their friendship. In this two-hander, Hill and Khan are captivating as friends finding their way in the world, each giving genuine, heartfelt, playful performances. From capturing childhood innocence to facing difficult choices as they grow up, each remain remarkable in their roles.
In the compact space of Buttercup at the Underbelly, the audience are right at the heart of The Jolly Fisherman, beer mats in hand, pint glasses ready for collection. It is a fizzing, energetic performance with the highs and lows of coming-of-age catapulting around the stage. Yet the performance is also gentle and soul searching, it reaches across communities, histories and families and is whole-heartedly human. The script weaves together themes of religion, family values, racism and grief without ever jumping into the usual narratives and falling into the cliches you might expect.
As the plot escalates, there is the familiar heartbreak in a tale of two differing cultures in London’s East End with deft multi-roling from Hill and Khan bringing the characters in their lives to life alongside them through impeccable storytelling. The staging is dynamic and masterful, using the space and lighting to fuel tension and emotion.
A laugh-a-minute, The Jolly Fisherman is a boundless performance. Narrating issues prevalent today, it is an important watch but a heartwarming, genuine one. For a clamorous, joyous performance, this is not to be missed.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Hannah Goldswain
The Jolly Fisherman plays at Edinburgh Festival Fringe until 31 August, with further info here.