A review of A Terrible Show for Terrible People, Fringe 2023

Are you a terrible person?

Apparently, I am! A certain person, who will remain nameless, playfully accuses me of being a terrible person. I thought it would be a hoot to book into a show called A Terrible Show for Terrible People as a result.

I brought Birdy with me to see A Terrible Show. You draw your conclusions.

I had done no research. I booked to push myself out of my comfort zone (which seems to be singing comedians this year), to have a diverse Fringe Festival – and on gut.

We turned out to be the fifth sell-out audience in a row! That’s a success for my well-endowed gut – and for Bonnie He.

However, we came very close to watching a mime show.

The view from the back seats is not great. A mime act you cannot see isn’t much of a show at all. It’s a bit like a falling tree’s sound alone in the forest. Terrible People’s organisers are well aware of the problem and encouraged us to stand up, should we want, to watch.

What to expect

Clad in black lycra, our protagonist enters the stage and is on the hunt. A Terrible Show for Terrible People is an 14+ rated performance and unsuitable if you are shy. The silent solo performer of The Terrible Show wants a man. Or two. Women are not safe from audience participation, though.

We mime our way through getting hooked up, pickles are used for a stand-in, and then people die.

My favourite scene was the surprised ghost. Not even the undead are immune from the phallic charm of a pickle.

There are plenty of surprises. Photography is banned. I don’t want this to be a spoiler review, so let’s get on with discussing the performance’s vibe.

Vibe and Performance

Bonnie He might dress in black, but I was reminded of the incredibly colourful mandarinfish. The hypnotic mandarinfish is covered in spines and highly toxic.

The fish uses its spines for defence, and there is something predatory in A Terrible Show. It’s not quite one of those Fringe acts where audience members become victims, but it feels like it would be easy to misunderstand what a mime artist wants of you. I can see why it would be terrifying.

In fairness, Bonnie communicates surprisingly clearly despite rarely speaking. In clarity, I’ve just used the word “toxic”, and I want to stress that I don’t mean toxic as in a red baseball cap. Terrible People are from the United States, and I do not know the performer’s politics, but this is not that kind of show. In fact, Bonnie gave other performers a chance to shout out their show at the end of Terrible People. The danger here lingers under the smiles and flowers of the performance.

Physical theatre verges into a circus; Terrible People is unique and familiar. I’ve never seen anything like it, but I know the family well.

The performance is memorable, in-your-face and potentially unusual. I cannot think of anywhere outside the Festival Fringe where I’d want to see anything so clown-y but burlesque-y!

Overall

Are you looking to do something different? Looking to go to a Fringe 2023 show that people are talking about? Check out A Terrible Show for Terrible People.

I wanted something outside my comfort zone, and with A Terrible Show, I certainly got it.

Do you want something conservative, safe, and can you take little sister Sally too? Maybe skip this one.