Bump @ The Gilded Balloon (Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2015) Review

After a late night cabaret show and having seen 13 shows in two days, waking up early to trundle to the Gilded Balloon Study in the Pleasance Dome was not top on my list of things to do… However, within three minutes of watching Buckle Up Theatre’s production of ‘Bump’, my Edinburgh Brain was excitedly buzzing with creativity again. Written and performed by Andrew Hollingworth (Ian) alongside actress Orianna Charles (Eliana), the pair take us on a beautiful, amusing and sweet tale of fate mixed with a little awkwardness.

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The romance begins with a car crash which leads to a drunken night, a date, then a relationship with troublesome consequences. Hollingworth has taken a basic ‘Boy Meets Girl’ premise and transformed it into an entrancing piece of writing, with the careful direction of Micheal Woodwood. The show is book-ended with a simple yet poignant speech from Eliana about not knowing what choices to make – a problem we all must face each day – although we don’t learn the reasons for her musings until the end of the show.
The piece is intricately choreographed with exciting scene changes and physical theatre sequences which make you feel like you are watching a Hollywood Rom-Com montage. My favourite of these moments involves the pair, ravelled up in a bed sheet, portraying an awkward, drunken sex scene incredibly tactfully. Although in a small black-box theatre with only two office swivel chairs, a small table and a few props, the cast and the direction fully immerse us into various surroundings such as restaurants, supermarkets and theme parks. The design is also commendable with a running theme of the colour red, and although I’m not sure I understand the significance of the buzzing fly, it does add an element of irritation which perhaps helps us to feel Eliana’s uncertainty.

Orianna Charles is captivating to watch and the connection between her and Andrew Hollingworth is believable and touching. This is a perfect little piece to execute the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover”. I entered the venue not expecting much and I am touched by the beauty and creativity they create.

A refreshing reminder of how much can be created with so little. 5/5
Review written by Katie Haygarth.

Bump is currently showing at the Gilded Balloon as part of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival until Sunday 30th August.mfor more information on the production, visit here…

Written by Theatrefullstop