Play On Productions bring The Real Australia to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, delivering a bawdy send-up of Aussie reality television in the vein of Married at First Sight and The Real Housewives. Taking up residence in theSpaceUK’s Niddry Street venue, this production is high energy, chaotic, and even gets the odd laugh.
In the midst of wedding celebrations, a group of Australians are thrust into chaos, including tangled-up romances, feuding sisters, and kooky spiritualists. The tranquil setting soon descends into madness as tensions escalate and nothing runs smoothly.
Those who have indulged in any Australian reality television will know that our Commonwealth brothers and sisters do it like no one else. No holds are barred in the quest to make good reality TV – dare we mention The Real Housewives of Sydney‘s Athena X and Lisa Oldfield, Melbourne‘s Gina Liano, or MAFS Australia icon Jacqui Burfoot? The spirit of these ladies and their often ‘memorable’ behaviour is transplanted into The Real Australia, which asks the question: “What else could possibly go wrong?” in this wedding farce.
The humour at the heart of The Real Australia is brash, not particularly laced with any subtlety – which, in fact, works in its favour. A large ensemble cast takes centre stage, each actor adopting a truly larger-than-life persona: from the cutting bride’s sister (the duo aptly named Kylie and Dannii), to the Fosters-drinking, budgie-smuggler-wearing brother, and the over-zealous spiritual celebrant (with just a touch of MAFS star Lucinda about her).
With a large cast, a modest stage size, and every character operating at 100 percent, all guns blazing, The Real Australia often verges on the chaotic. At times, neither cast nor audience is given a chance to stop and take it all in. A well-placed pause or beat of silence might have allowed certain gags to land more effectively, or offered the audience a brief moment to catch their breath.
Nevertheless, The Real Australia is unashamedly ridiculous – and that’s exactly the point. It doesn’t try to be high art. It aims for high drama, high volume, and high farce. Fans of reality TV will appreciate the nods and in-jokes (a la obese man in a pedalo), while those unfamiliar may still find themselves swept along by the sheer audacity of it all.
The Real Australia runs until August 9 this Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Tickets available here.
