Showing @ Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh until Sat 16 Feb (on tour)

After winning a Fringe First for Slick in 2008, the creative genius of trailblazing theatre company Vox Motus have updated their former production to strike a chord with contemporary audiences. Malcolm Biggar (James Young) and his parents are struggling to pay rent to their perverse landlord Jerko (Harry Ward) when Malcolm discovers crude oil spilling from the lavatory. Malcolm’s greedy and merciless custodians send the nine-year-old to the local refinery to make their fortune but will the discovery be their salvation or their downfall?

While the inherent silliness of the plot is enjoyable, if a bit reliant on crude and vulgar humour, the real highlight is the method of performance. Each character is predominantly played by two cast members, (one; head and feet, the other; hands) using grotesquely caricatured puppets, the dual action of which, heightens the humour with an entertaining and compelling originality. Each actor performs multiple roles while not in character (moving banisters to show climbing stairs, whooshing twinned torches for headlights) in a self-aware, gregarious display of captivating spectacle, (rather than traditional “theatre darling”). This is balanced by a constantly evolving multi-function set even the Swiss Army would be proud of. Each resonating sound effect, distortedly embroidered costume/puppet and simplistic but clearly understandable prop contributes to making this blackly surreal and innovative production an impressive and enjoyable performance to watch.

Showing as part of the Manipulate Festival 2013

Follow Callum on Twitter @CWMadge