★★★★
“What if we did the insurrection but good?”.
Complete with a girlboss rainbow disco & a healthy dose of homoeroticism, January 6th the Musical is a surprisingly entertaining addition to this year’s theSpace programme, combining an imaginative writing project with creative flair to deliver a piece that punches well above its weight (& budget). Relying on the abilities & witticisms of just two performers, this piece is a standout example for students & emerging creators of how to do Fringe.
Beginning with two unfortunate souls cast onto stage for some unknown reason, & at the dying sounds of a song akin to the Barney the Dinosaur theme music, our recently cast friends are forced to lead a rendition of the U.S. national anthem, a feat which they achieve surprisingly well, even with invented lyrics purporting to “fast food, fried chicken […] & they love Scottish people”. Yet strangely, the ‘surprisingly well’ theme shines throughout this entire production, building in comedy gold at every opportunity in a clever expression of originality & verve.
Portrayed by Jessie Ballard & Kiely Sugayan, the pair team up to play both themselves & a diverse variety of other roles in this 50-minute farcical exploration of revolution. Angered about their birthdays being crashed by the U.S. Capitol Riots of January 6th, before themselves being implicated in the insurrection, their ability to utilise small inflections of voice, dialogue & tone to cast themselves as different people, even without costume changes, is a masterful stroke of genius.
Unencumbered by complex quick changes, the material is allowed to flow & thrive. Whilst this doesn’t extend into scene transitions, the weakest element of the show, the distraction is only minimal, with the pair’s energy making up for the lost momentum. An inspired sense of design extends throughout the show & all of its creative departments, giving a high sense of synergy & cohesion, essential for an original piece of farcical writing. However, if we reviewers truly sound like that puppet, then I must apologise on behalf of us all!
What the show does incredibly well, however, is its understanding of what makes a good Fringe show, particularly a silly one. Whilst many productions attempt to do too much by shoehorning in irrelevant passages, joke opportunities or trying to pass itself off as high art, Ballard & Sugayan bring something else – fun.
The two of them exude a passion for their work which drives this show past the finish line & firmly into the U.S. House of Representatives; they know how the work sits, they’re embracing it & having a great time doing it. By showing that awareness of the silliness of the show & its story, they are trailblazers in bringing the audience with them, letting you take your guard down & just enjoy. Many other productions should take heed.
It’s difficult to describe January 6th the Musical; is it a considered comedy regarding the impact of insurrections on the life & liberties of the free person & the need for them to seize control of their narratives to secure themselves a better future, or is it some silly fever dream with puppets, cops who look high & a questionable will they/ won’t they friendship? Who can say.
But what is certain is that this production is Fringe through & through; an expression of creativity, of joy, of queerness & of the ability for anything to cut through. This show is a safe bet for anyone looking for a good laugh, & anyone looking to claim that they too “doth partook in the insurrection”.