Dance, Physical Theatre & Circus review: Losing It

Edinburgh Festival Fringe: It's impossible to heap enough praise on Lana Biba and Txema Perez, two physical theatre performers with talent in spades.

Zoo (Venue 124)

***

Biba, too is a wonderful dancer – a treat when she suddenly bursts into action in this funny and poignant show. Which is why it’s all the more frustrating that Losing It really does lose it partway through.

A cast-iron start finds Biba and Perez almost unrecognisable dressed in old clothes, covering padded, misshapen bodies; Perez hidden behind a raggedy beard, Biba squashed under a flappy fur hat. As Boris and Ingrid, an immigrant couple advanced in years but still young at heart, they drink vodka (or try to – Boris’ beard causing hilarious problems), get excited about vegetables and French kiss in a delightfully gross manner.

As two-handed comedy, this works a treat and could be developed much further. But the arrival of Bird Radio, a competent musician but incongruous here, takes the show in a new, not entirely successful direction.

Biba and Perez are a joy to watch, their comic timing finely honed and their gentle reminiscence funny and moving. But this is two shows in one, which is one more than required.

Until 27 August. Tomorrow 8:25pm.