Who: Too Dumb Blondes
When: 12 Mar – 20 Mar
Where: The Studio, Holden Street Theatres
How much: $20, more info here
Does It Please You? challenges the Fringe form, bringing variety to the stage. Written by Taylor Nobes, who also starred in the piece as the central character, this show portrays stories of autobiographical significance. It combines acting, monologues, emotional songs, and various dance forms.
Mikayla Rudd, Kate Burgess and Hanna Instrell-Walker were performers whose dancing accentuated the performance. Their dance style varied from strong and smooth modern contemporary, to explosive and OTT pop.
In one particular scene Taylor Nobes embodies a loud, obnoxious TV host, who interviews the nervous piano player portrayed by Sam Lau, who proves his worth as a gifted pianist.
The performance questions the intelligence and morals of the audience and leads to some tense moments, but the fringe is the place for challenging theatre such as this. This amount of variety made the hour-long show fly by.
Taylor’s voice is incredible, one that really captivated the audience. Her final monologue was similarly powerful as she contemplates the meaning of what it is to please others.
It’s in your face, it’s fun, and it’s thought-provoking, with moments of vulnerability punctuating the show. Ultimately it asks the question that is the namesake of the show, “Does it please you?” And in reality whether it does or not, it isn’t up to the audience to decide, because it how they’ve expressed themselves that matters.
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