It feels more than a little odd walking into a Pleasance venue to the tune of Carol of the Bells. Yet, with their latest movie parody offering, Recent Cutbacks’ Kevin!!! has made me fully embrace the festive spirit. It is a beautiful homage to the 1990s classic, with enough nostalgia and warmth to fill the room with Christmas joy, even in the height of summer.
This is by far the most technical of Recent Cutbacks’ shows. As they attempt to replicate Home Alone shot for shot, there are green screens, miniature models, puppets, actors, and a foley artist.
It is mostly immaculate stagecraft on display. When Natalie Rich as Kate, who nails the titular line, interacts with a miniature version of Kevin, there is a unique joy in watching both the method and the product in real time. It’s like a goofy version of Katie Mitchell, and difficult to watch without a smile pasted across your face.
Yet, if there is a weakness here, it is simply suffering from too much tech. The laugh-out-loud moments that were peppered throughout Fly, You Fools! were often generated through merely a microphone and the actors’ bodies, uncannily replicating what millions of studio dollars achieved on screen. In Kevin!!!, these moments of hilarity come about rarely. In fact, the tech on occasion adds unnecessary separation between audience and action. It is difficult to view some of the miniature houses when there is bulky camera equipment in the way.
The standout moments are generated from slightly scrappy, human-orientated sections. The handmade Kevin puppet is a highlight, as is Nick Abeel, who voices and operates him. Frenetic would be an understatement. We are also treated to several gorgeous verses of O Holy Night by foley artist Richard Sears, showing off his mind-blowing falsetto vibrato.
This is lovingly created work, with immense technical precision on display. I only wish slightly less tech covered the stage, and slightly more human interaction took its place. But perhaps I’m just being a Scrooge…
Listings and ticket information can be found here
