REVIEW: And the Devil Will Drag You Under @Brighton Spiegeltent

And the Devil Will Drag You Under

By Desmond O’Connor

Brighton Spiegeltent at Brighton Fringe on May 26

THIS is its 10th triumphant year, And the Devil May Drag You Under is still the darling of the Brighton Fringe.  The show’s premise is simple, the host Desmond O’Connor  whose like a foul-mouthed Nicolas Parsons but just as charming, brings together some of the finest and oddest cabaret talent on offer at Brighton Fringe. They give us a taster of their acts then the audience sends them to heaven or hell. It’s all done with the lightest of touches and the devil himself (Desmond O’Connor) and the recently deceased entertainers show you the very vest of what they’ve got.

As always with these shows it’s the combination that works the magic and we certainly had a great range of contrast on show, from Lynn Ruth Miller’s utterly beguiling octogenarian singing to burlesque from Coco Deville.

Leo a lithe bejewelled and be-feathered aerialist span on the silks right above our heads and Bunny, the wicked funny and dangerous stand up knife thrower took audience participation to a very sharp edge.  Opening with some superbly rhymed and timed singing, tortured French chanteuse La Poule won the audience over immediately before we settled down and let the acts do their stuff.

With Frisky & Mannish topping the bill with their delightful clash of pop culture, social commentary, musical and vocal dexterity and five-star charm this was a perfect cabaret evening, in the warm and atmospheric embrace of the Spiegeltent.

This is a piece of classic Brighton Fringe with a host who works hard, and has a flaming saxophone to delight us even more, to ensure an inclusive and attractive atmosphere, you got a lot of bang – bang for your money and long may it last.

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