Edinburgh 2002

Fringe

Kiss of Life
Pleasance Dome

Ashley Portland

Comedy and despair are so close together, and in Kiss of Life at the Pleasance Chris Goode plays the two off each other superbly.

The production is based on the changes that inflict themselves upon our protagonist within the space of 48 hours. After attempting suicide, losing his job, and his cat, he is set to make the most of his time with his new digital TV when he befriends a guy who he meets in the street. This meeting and the ensuing relationship lead him to one of the most difficult questions in his life, and we are left watching the resulting issues and the humour that comes out of them.

The choreography, timing, light and sound come together in a seemingly simple collage of elements that work well in the setting of a small venue at the Fringe. But the level of preparation that has gone into making this work appear so seamlessly before us it is quite clear. Chris is immediately at ease with his audience. His performace, which is less like acting and more like a conversation with the audience, gives him the control over a subject that is so difficult to address.

It is this outstanding command over the power of laughter that I leave as its biggest compliment, and why two days later I am still left with the issues that it explored.

Until August 26: 16.40 (1hr 15 minutes).