‘Freddie Mercury trampolining’ is one memory of La Putyka. Goodness knows how my subconscious linked this glamorous, gutsy, tongue-in-cheek performance with Bohemian Rhapsody. And fingers crossed the highly professional, thirteen-strong company from the Czech Republic can see the funny side.
It is stunning when the stage opens to reveal a large trampoline for two brilliant performers to flip and twist across. The movement is skilled, flirtatious and controlled, including striptease midair and a moment when the man catches hold of the lighting rig. Arguably, there’s something that may seem a bit retro glitzy in the costumes too.
The circus-theatre framework of La Putyka is a sleazy pub at closing time (the Czech word Putyka means a bar or dive). This provides an opportunity to dispense free beer to the audience in almost a parody of Czechness. More importantly, it enables groups of punters, a band, two clowns and a master of ceremonies in the form of a drunk landlord to come to life.
The physical comedy is inventive and accomplished. The clowns have fake pot bellies and are actually adept at balancing and tumbling. A pinky drink is poured down throats, only for shot glasses to emerge. The farewell balancing sequence uses Swiss balls as giant bubbles.
The band covers a significant amount of musical territory with skilled vocal work including yodelling. The design may not be to everyone’s taste, with a distinctly junk-shop quality, but it is detailed and in character.
Perhaps there were a few too many interludes around the impressive main acts. Some parts felt more like padding, but also helped generate enthusiasm for the return of the slinky couples. The drunkenness was not interesting in itself, but gave coherence (as well as incoherence) to the piece.
La Putyka is a teasing and meticulous circus performance. Skilled and alternative, it has been put together with a professionalism that seems almost too big for its Fringe venue. This group are champions of their idiosyncratic world.