Laughing Stock and Shortwalk. The Garden of Unearthly Delights - The Factory. 24 Feb 2015

 

I could wax lyrical about the structure of the music, and how there have been significant attempts to ‘freshen’ it by giving it orchestral makeovers, but I shan’t.

 

Everyone knows the music and dare I say, loves it, but this performance is not just a musical feast, it is also a visual tour de force and should not be missed.

 

Picture two musicians (Daniel Holdsworth and Aidan Roberts, both Aussies by the way) on stage with four electronic keyboards, samplers, loop pedals, a mix of six or seven eclectic and acoustic guitars at various tunings, a mandolin, drum kits, glockenspiel, mouth whistles, their own voices, and, you guessed it, tubular bells.

 

The instruments are carefully and strategically located around the stage and Holdsworth and Roberts move swiftly between them with awesome dexterity as they recreate Mike Oldfield’s iconic score with the occasional minor improvisation as it takes their mood!

 

It is enthralling to watch as much as it is to hear. It is a breath of sweet air to witness two very accomplished modern musicians playing a substantial through-composed piece of contemporary music rather than a collection of three-minute sound grabs of uninspiring popular tunes.

 

Their musicality is only eclipsed by their exhausting athleticism. This is remarkable stuff.

 

Over many years of Fringe-ing, I cannot recall a show where an entire audience (of amazing diversity) rose simultaneously to its feet and erupted into a wolf-whistling standing ovation that lasted fully three minutes.

 

This is compulsory viewing, and sales are heavy. Buy a ticket if you can.

 

Kym Clayton

 

When: 13 Feb to 15 Mar

Where: The Factory, Garden of Unearthly Delights

Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au