Masters of Drip, Fiddlers Elbow, until 24 August (except 7, 13, 21) 7pm, Free
Original and organic, Masters of Drip is an hour of intriguing sketches which will leave you feeling a tad bewildered but ultimately amused. The Fiddler’s Elbow is a well-suited venue for Michael Friederich and Gavin Rankin to portray a selection of characters and scenarios that fuse together to create the theme of ‘drip’, described by the pair as ‘difficult to discern, complex to condense and wild to endure’. Indeed, it is.
As the show begins, it soon becomes evident that you probably haven’t witnessed anything like this before. A captivating initial scene leads to well-paced works of wonder, highlights of which feature a hilarious poem, a transfixing boxed-ballerina piece and cardboard consumption.
The cocktail of sketches were created by Friederich and Rankin, two very versatile performers whose confidence and commitment to the material make it what it is – sharp and fresh. Friederich’s broad range of convincing accents and his physical characterisation abilities along with Rankin’s commanding stage presence and fluid script delivery make the pair compatible to pull off a production like this.
Some of the segments were a tad perplexing and not as memorable as a result. A more solid conclusion would have helped the audience to determine what to make of the show, but by not including one it meant the playgoers could ponder over the experience furthermore to reach their own verdict.
There is no denying the originality of Masters of Drip, and the talent of its creators. The pair actively share 7-second videos on Vine through their Facebook and Twitter accounts, giving a taste of what to expect, but I would advise witnessing this without too much knowledge of what is to come. As it is part of PBH’s Free Fringe, you have nothing to lose and much to gain – catch Friederich and Rankin now as their theatre and comedy future is sure to reach grand heights.
