Big Boys the Third
Performed by Ash Searle and Brad Searle
Kalk Bay Theatre until October 15
Bookings: www.kalkbaytheatre.co.za or 021 788 7257
Review: Michelle Saffer
There is one thing for sure that the Searle/Harris trio do well and that is their Big Boys productions. I defy anyone to walk out of the Big Boy shows without a big grin on their faces and… wanting to party!
It must be all that high energy. Brothers Ash and Brad Searle, ably directed by Vanessa Harris, tell the continuing (mis)adventures of the two brothers, aided by some impressive dancing and some equally impressive lighting/graphics. Oh, and did I say their jokes are good too?
The trio began with their Big Boys Don’t Dance which ably showed that big boys do dance. It also showed that if there is a mess, they will get into it. It’s Ash who plays the sparkly-faced innocent good guy, and Brad who plays the one ready for mischief. Brad just has to wiggle an eyebrow and you start laughing – he has his “wait for it…” expressions down pat.
In the first show, Ash was at his bachelor party – organised by Brad (he should have known better) – when it appears that the stripper has stolen his car. Worse, the car is a beloved and fancy car belonging to his father-in-law to be. They enter a dance competition to make money to replace the car. In the second Big Boys, we find that the wedding didn’t go as planned and Vanessa (in real life Ash’s wife) has asked for time to think and Brad persuades Ash, through some wildly imaginative interpretation, that they need to go to London to find his Vanessa. A dance video of theirs goes viral on YouTube and Ash agrees to create a dance show with Brad.
Could this have been a normal happy ending? Not with Brad about. Something went very wrong at the dance show – and his girlfriend is pregnant. And this is the start of part three of what one hopes will be the continuing tales of the brothers.
The brothers work really well together and have an entertaining rapport. They can do just about any dance style and happily rip off anything that is contemporary in a most entertaining way. By now we have come to expect them to be able to flip leap backflip soar – and be amazed they don’t whack something in the rather small space – but it’s the little things that impress, like flipping their hoodies on and off their heads in unison and in time. Where this performance excels is in their use of lights and sound as props. A screen behind them has moving images which they dance with and around, as though the images are their partners. They must rehearse endlessly because their timing is perfect. And well done to the person doing the graphics too. They also have fun with illusions using a panel, with parts of Brad on one side and parts of Ash on the other.
So if you are looking for show that will leave you feeling happy, you can’t go wrong with Big Boys the Third.