Gamarjobat – The Western
For the uninitiated this is a duo of crazy punk Japanese silent comedians who have been performing around the world for at least the past decade. This show was a sell-out and once the crowd were in the light show kicked off and the boys came on stage. It wasn’t good enough and they explained (silently) how we should be showing our appreciation, some members were mimicked for their lack of appreciation and the audience were given a second chance to greet the stars. And so went the first 20 minutes of the show. We were shown magic tricks, acrobatics, mime, pratfalls and all the other classic silent comedy scenarios. All was done at a fast pace and with a lot of energy.
Then we started into the show proper. This was a full-blown silent western with the cowboy, the prostitute with a heart of gold, the bad guy, a little kid, lots of gunplay, a little dancing, love hate, death, betrayal and a surprise ending involving the song Hey Jude. There was even a little audience participation for the shooting game.
The two performers flew round the stage and it was difficult to believe at times that there were just two people playing all those parts. The storyline may have been lifted from any old silent western but the acting and moves of these manic Japanese punks brought the show to a whole new level. The show ran for just over an hour and was one that every one could enjoy as there was no swearing (obviously), no nudity, only a mild sex scene and simulated violence. You can even buy the DVD and t-shirts as you leave.
Visit the Fringe Website for booking details.