This Review is from August 2022
“Tonight!” Proclaims musical director and pianist Michael Roulston, “Live at the Gordon Aikman Theatre, Edinburgh, it’s… Bananarama.”
Fascinating Aïda and Bananarama are both all women muscial trios, who were first popular in the 80s. And both are still going. These days, it is the former that are selling out the bigger rooms. This beautiful fringe venue is absolutely packed.
The opening song, satirising fake news, is cheeky, up to the second satirical, occasionally filthy, and hilarious. And so is the rest of this joyful production.
Dillie Keane (who founded Fascinating Aïda in 1983), Adèle Anderson (who joined her in 1984) and more recent recruit, Liza Pulman are beautiful singers, who could surely have found successful careers in straight performance if they weren’t so good at being funny.
The numbers are intelligent and fun, delivered with a twinkle in the eye. If you are familiar with their most famous song, Cheap Flights, you’ll be delighted to hear another recital here, which was interrupted several times by spontaneous cheers and rounds of applause.
The highlight of the show was Adele’s Story, “a song that took ten years to write.” A thoughtful, personal, and beautifully crafted song, that received the loudest cheers and most prolonged round of applause of the night.
Fascinating Aïda have come up with a show that is absolutely fringe but utterly professional. And hysterical. And totally relevant.
Martin Walker
New interview with Fascinating Aïda
Tickets for Dr John Cooper Clarke – I Wanna Be Yours (featuring Fascinating Aïda, Stewart Lee, Luke Wright and guests)
