At 9:30pm, with the sky dark outside, Bedlam Theatre becomes the site of Eelmageddon. Devised and performed by John Chisham (as the Professor) and Becca King (as Geezer), Eelmageddon tells the story of the end of the world – brought about by the uprising of hordes of eels – a bizarre premise matched by an equally bizarre performance and plenty of eel puns.
Chisham and King are engaging in their roles. Both of them use a great deal of physicality in their performances, and their commitment is absolute, which is essential for a show so absurd. Their seemingly erratic movements are well practised, their chemistry is good and the comedic moments land well, provoking laughter from the audience. The audience interaction throughout the show is also a source of plenty of humour, as well as giving the duo more to play off and turning the experience into a more collective one. The interactive moments could even have been furthered at some points (for example by inviting the audience members who were transformed into eels onstage) to enhance the show even more.
The production is strong. Bedlam Theatre makes for a surprisingly good venue to be transformed into a secret undersea fallout shelter. The lighting design by Alice Underwood adds to the atmosphere of each scene and the overall absurdity of the show. In addition, the sound design is complex enough for it to be noteworthy that it is pulled off well, coming in correctly on cue, and the original song at the end of the performance makes for a catchy finale. The set is sparse (usual for an Edinburgh Fringe show) but effective use is made of the various props and costume pieces hidden behind screens, and the use of a few signs simply saying ‘crack’ to represent the tension-building plot device provoked plenty of laughter.
Eelmageddon may not be the most academic or refined show at the Edinburgh Fringe, but it is certainly entertaining. Its run has now come to an end but the production company, Intrepid Fools, is one to watch as the team behind such an absurd and yet oddly endearing tale about the end of the world.
