Image courtesy of The Torch Enterprise
That's right, the man of a thousand voices is back for one night only. Well, perhaps not a thousand. Just a few very distinct and disturbing ones.
Toby Chittenden is proud to be kindly hosting these three linguistically diverse gits again after an earlier extremely popular run of
Trichotomy of Jest.
(Actually, they locked him in the car, and watched him book the venue before they would let him out.)
In the show, (
see here for a full preview of the previous showings), Chittenden channels the observations and anecdotes of
Jimmy McKleish. McKleish, a proud Scot, is not quite Francis Begbie, not quite Danny Bhoy and thankfully doesn't lift the kilt (much).
Jimmy McKleish. Image courtesy of The Torch Enterprise
Jimmy is an amalgam of different influences, but at his heart, he's just a chest-puffing scruffy lad on his way to either book club or the pub.
As he swaggers up and down the stage, regaling us with his thoughts and musings, you're struck by the way in which Toby is able to jump into Jimmy's wig and kilt quickly. It's even more impressive when Jimmy leaves, and
Nigel Furlong-Fencehurdler canters onto stage. Chittenden segues into a different physicality of movement and timbre of voice (helped slightly by some equine prosthetics) and the change in act is immediate.
Nigel is a confused little horsey who is quite sure that he should be destined for greater things than those of his mundane life. Listening to his snorting and braying laments, it's clear that a horse is not necessarily a horse (of course, of course) and Nigel's transformation into a man of the people is only a matter of time. Be warned.
Nigel Furlong-Fencehurdler. Image courtesy of The Torch Enterprise
As we move on to the last of the three, I'd like to give you fair warning.
Julian Cockburn is unequivocally the low-point of the evening, and much of his dialogue is extremely suggestive and in poor taste. The fact that the audience and I were roaring and gasping with laughter for the entirety of Cockburn's time on stage is coincidental, and should not be taken as any kind of endorsement.
Julian Cockburn. Image courtesy of The Torch Enterprise
Cockburn (and the cheeky chaps that seem to follow him around everywhere he goes) will stretch and tantalise your understanding of good food, and then drag it through a dirty gutter of salacious wordplay and suggestiveness. Keep away, he is bad news.
After the show, Toby will mingle (and perhaps graciously accept your offer of a drink) outside the theatre and you'll be able to see that he is quite normal *cough*.
SESSION DETAILS, AND GETTING TO THE VENUE
The show is for one night only, and is being performed on Saturday, May 4th at
Mousetrap Theatre Inc., 1 Lamington Dr, Redcliffe QLD 4020.
The entrance to the theatre grounds is well marked, with plenty of free parking.
These performances at Mousetrap do allow consumption of BYO alcoholic beverages, so feel free to bring along your favourite tipple (and enough for Toby).
Tickets are available online at
www.thetorchenterprise.com (or at the door, subject to availability)
$20 for adults
$15 for concessions
Please note that the show has been written for an adult audience and is not suitable for children. Jimmy McKleish does have a bit of a potty mouth, so be (slightly) warned.
For further information, please call 0422678983 or 0406402901.
You can keep up to date with Toby's work by liking his
Facebook page, or by visiting his
website.
