Showing @ Greyfriar’s Kirk, Edinburgh until Fri 23 Aug @ 12:00
A show about three men of the cloth attempting to put on a religious play, set in one of Edinburgh’s most famous churches at the ungodly hour of noon, may make the more hedonistic Fringe-goers twitch, but The Cardinals has a far broader appeal than just those of a spiritual mindset.
If the priests from Father Ted staged a Fringe show, the result might well have gone a little something like this. The three earnest cardinals are doing their best to stage a sacred retelling of the world from Creation to Apocalypse, aided by an incredibly patient Muslim stage manager. But the result leaves a lot to be desired.
The clever staging means there is a clear delineation between what is part of the cardinals’ show and what is “behind the scenes”, and much humour arises from the disconnect between the two. The ceremonious build up to consistently disappointing results could even be seen by some cynics as a metaphor for religion itself. The contrast between their po-faced reverence and their stage manager’s dignified private prayer also offers a subtle comment on the way people worship. It’s slightly longer than necessary, but still a rewarding show whatever your beliefs.
Comments