fringe: adam richard - splitsecondism

adelaide fringe - splitsecondism
I feel like I should thank Adam Richard for really opening the door to the Fringe for me... back in 2009, on a whim, I bought a ticket for his Driven show, had a fantastic time and the following year dived into the Fringe headfirst, which has led to my current 24 shows in 32 days experience in this year's Fringe.

I've seen him twice since, in 2011 as part of the live version of Talking Poofy and then two years ago in his Gaypocalypse show.

And I feel like his new show (as in brand new, still has that "new comedy smell" and a wet paint sign, new), Splitsecondism, is closest in tone to the Driven show. It's also fairly obvious that I'm an Adam Richard fan.

This is possibly also why I was the one person in the front row, and was thus able to, as Adam pointed out, "manspread" all over the place (the downside of sitting in the front row I guess)... not to mention laugh my big gay ass off.

Like I said, this show is still very new... so I think we segued off the prepared script more than was intended, but the detours weren't problematic in any way, and we wouldn't have even known we were off the beaten track had Adam not pointed it out.

The first half of the show there's an analogy to Facebook, which works but fizzles out in the latter half (it worked within the context of the material, Richard just seemed to give up on it at a certain point which is fine), some "true facts" that the audience gets to choose the order of, and the "controversial" part of the show... which, compared to Richard's Gaypocalypse show, barely caused a ripple.

As with all the previous shows, and any of the podcasts I've heard him on, it's when he gets to the storytelling that it really takes off. And also where I laughed the hardest.

The only real downside to this being the place where Richard tries out the material before taking it on the road is I don't remember him bringing the shows back to Adelaide when they've been around the block and are in the best shape of their lives (is that a mixed metaphor?).

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1 comment:

FabXXL said...

Thank you so much for such a wonderfully considered review! I am very appreciative, especially of your continued support.

I was toying with the idea of bringing #FGT to Fringe this year, but Adelaide audiences are so generous and so eagerly accepting of the weird and wonderful, I (and many of my colleagues) can't resist the opportunity to muck about in front of them.

The first show you mention, Driven, was only ever performed in Adelaide. I took a break from doing solo shows for a few years, because of the rigours of brekky radio, and trying to write a TV show, so Driven was my last solo show until Gaypocalypse in 2014. I'm glad you found correlation between my new show and Driven, they're both very personal shows, with lots of storytelling.

Most of the material in Splitsecondism has been trialled in chunks at clubs around the country, it's just finding my way through the anarchic 'Facebook feed' anti-structure that has been the biggest learning curve for me. Originally it was just a throwaway joke at the start of the show, but I think you're right, it could do with making an appearance back down the bum end of the show...

Once again, thank so much for your continued support, and your wonderful insight. See, it's people like you that make us bring half-baked shows to Adelaide - you guys are invaluable; you help us finish baking and put the icing on!